When you're Gone
by Pricat
Summary: Fiona wakes up sad for some reason. Then later her mother Lillian shows up and tells her and Shrek that her father King Harold has passed away. How will she cope after drifting away from the family?
1. Slipped Away

When You're Gone 

It was a dreary, miserable day at the swamp as Fiona woke up. For some reason she was feeling down. But soon she'd know why. Lillian was very upset in Far, Far Away that morning. It was because her husband Harold had passed away in the night. She needed to be with her family so she decided to go to the swamp where they were unknowing of why she wanted to see them…

Puss wondered what was up with Fiona. She didn't seem happy as normal or laughing either. "Hey senora what's wrong? You don't seem like yourself." He said to her. "It's… just I feel that something bad has happened to somebody I love but I don't really know." She admitted quietly.

She then heard a knock on the door and answered it. It was weird to see her Mom standing there. She saw tears in her eyes as she fell into her daughter's arms. "Oh Fiona he's gone!" she said quietly. She was worried about this as she ran into the bedroom. "What's up?" Shrek asked her. "It's Mom. She's really upset about something but I don't know what." She explained to him. He understood as he got up and dressed. He followed her back into the living room. Lillian was sitting in his alligator chair. Fiona then handed her a cup of tea. "I… I need to tell you something." She told her as she brought something out of her pocket that was wrapped and unwrapped it. Fiona gasped in shock as she realised what was wrong.

"He woke me up in the middle of the night and went into spasms. After that… his… his eyes closed forever. I've been in shock since early this morning. I'm sorry." She told her weakly. Fiona had turned pale at this and it looked like she was about to cry. "This was why I woke up feeling like this." She simply said as she touched her father's body. Shrek watched as she went into their room. He was worried. "Will she be okay?" Puss asked him. "I don't know. We should give her time." He told him. He wondered if she'd be okay but he didn't know…

He then went and put his ear to the door. He could hear soft sounds of crying. He couldn't believe that his father in law had passed away. He was upset but had to be strong especially for Fiona. She was the one most affected by this besides Lillian. "How is she?" Lillian asked him. "Not too good, I'm afraid. I'm worried for her. Harold was her father and they were close even she'd been locked in a tower for most of her life. I... think we should give her time." he told her. She sighed sadly at that. "You're right. She and Harold were very close." Lillian said to him sadly.

But in their room, Fiona was hurting more than they'd know. She was just lying on her bed depressed and writing...


	2. Everything I do reminds Me

When you're Gone

Ch 2

Sadness was running through her body as she wrote. But other thoughts were running through her mind, unpleasant ones. She blinked back a tear. She couldn't stop thinking about him, the one who gave her life…

_Dear Diary_

_My father has… left and it hurts. He was the one who gave me life and taught me to stand on my own. But other thoughts are running through my mind telling me to do things that I couldn't do but maybe I should. I hope they understand why…_ she wrote.

She then entered the batn room and picked up the razor. She then cut her hand and wrist with it. She was a little shocked but it felt good as the blood ran down her sleeve. She then did it to the other hand and wrist. She wiped the blood away with a towel. She looked at herself in the mirror. "Maybe I should change my image. I've looked this way ever since I was young but more so because… my father passed away." She thought as she undid the braid that hung down her upper back. The un braided hair hung around messily. But that didn't matter as she brought a sword and cut it short. Clumps of her vibrant hair fell onto the floor. She then went for a shower and put some hair dye in her hair. When she'd finished, her hair was now black as ash. "That's better." She said as she dressed herself in a purple night dress and curled into a ball on the bed… She then let the sadness overtake her as memories of being with her father played in her mind. Lillian was a little shocked by what her daughter had done to herself by the cutting her hair and slaying the braid that she'd wore for a long time. She didn't know about the cutting. That was good to know. Shrek then saw the worry on her face and wondered what was wrong. "It's Fiona." she simply said to him. "Where is she?" he asked her. "She's in the bedroom curled up in a ball on the bed upset. She.. did something to herself." she told him. Hw nodded as he opened the door slowly. He had a cup of tea in his hand.

He then put it on the beside table. "Hey honey. How're you?" he said calmly to her. He then went into the bath room. He was shocked to see the clumps of hair on the floor but he could smell the faint smell of blood on the walls. This frightened him as he picked them up especially the braid. He wondered what had possesed her to do this to herself. "Harold's death must've been harder for her to take than I thought. I'd better keep an eye on her." he thought as he put them in his pocket. He looked at his grieving wife on the bed. He turned pale when he saw the marks on her hands and wrists as well as the black hair. He shuddered as he joined her on the bed. There were red rims around her eyes. She had cried herself to sleep. This was more than he could bear. He knew she could take on armies of hunters but this she couldn't take on her own. He felt her shiver as she tossed and turned in her sleep. "Fi! It's okay! It's me. I know it's hurting ya but it'll get better, trust me. I know." he said to her quietly as he watched her wake, sweat dripping down her face. He then watched as she fell into his warm embrace. "It hurts so bad." she said through tears. "It always will but it makes you stronger." he said to her as he stroked her hair.

"It's just everything I do reminds me of him and it overfills me with sadness. We were close even though he... sent me away. That was because he loved me, right? How... How do you know what it's like to lose someone?" she said sadly to him. "I'll explain but it's not pretty. But maybe it'll help." he said to her...


	3. Pieces of my broken Heart

When You're Gone 

Ch 3

Shrek hesitated before he spoke. He knew talking about his parents hurt but maybe if he did… it could help Fiona with what happened to her father. She had closed her eyes but was listening. She was in his warm, muscular embrace and she felt safe in it. "It was long ago when I was a child. I was out playing by myself when I saw them. A band of knights were racing through the forest at brake neck speed. I realised where they were going and raced home but when I did…" he said to her.

"What happened?" she asked him. "The knights had slayed them. I watched as they dragged their lifeless bodies out of our house and took off. After that I… could never heal. I was miserable, even depressed. Sometimes I wanted to end my life but somehow I thought that it would get better but it did later on in my life. Let's just say a relationship helped." He explained to her with fear in his voice. "You mean marrying me helped?" Fiona said to him. "Aye. I know what it's like to feel like nothing can ever be the same but it will. You'll see." He replied as he held her close to him.

He watched as she cried in his embrace and the tears hitting his shirt and vest. "It's okay. I know it'll hurt for a while. I never got the chance to show how I felt when they left me." He said soothingly as he stroked her. Lillian was watching this through the crack in the door. Puss was also watching from the window.

He felt sorry for her. Lillian agreed as her son in law came back into the living room. "How… How is she?" she asked him. There was doubt on his face before he answered. "She's worse, very worse. We need to help her heal before she does something drastic, something that meant her leaving me and that I couldn't bear. I wish there was something I could do to lift her mood back to her normal, happy self but I don't know. She had a total breakdown. She's asleep." He told her quietly. He sighed as he looked at something. It was a photo of him and Fiona on their honey moon.

Lillian then went out for some fresh air. It was night time and the stars had come out in the night sky. "Harold look after her. She's in a state of grieving for you. She changed her hair and something else but I don't know. She needs you more than ever like before we sent her away." She said to the sky. She then went back inside. In the spirit world Harold had seen what was happening and was worried for Lillian but more so for Fiona. She was taking his death harder than anyone. He wished he could give her the courage to move on but he didn't know. They had a bond tighter than anyone ever knew even though he sent her away.

He then saw into the bedroom of his son in law's house. Fiona was asleep and tossing and turning. He felt awful watching this. It felt like his heart was breaking. "I know it's hard honey but there's nothing anyone can do. You have to be strong like I know you can be. But it's hard because our love was strong even though I hid things from you and sent you away to a tower for most of your teenage life. I'm sorry you're going through this. Like your brave husband said, it'll take time but you'll heal. I'm always in your heart where I've been since you were born." he thought as the room vanished. He was in his human form here but he felt lonely. He missed his family and being with his daughter. Warmth filled him as he thought of the good times.

It was dawn. Shrek was up making breakfast. Lillian watched as he grilled eggs and bacon. He then put it on the table. His gaze fell on the door to their bedroom. "I'm going to go see if Fiona's okay." he said as he opened it and went in. "Fiona honey are you getting up? It seems like a nice day." he said as he came near the bed. "There's no point getting up when everything I love reminds me of him. Maybe I should join him. That way... it'll stop hurting." she told her in an unhappy tone. "What do you mean?" he asked worriedly. "There's a gaping void in my heart and it feels like it can never be filled. If I joined him, it could be filled." she said as she fell back into unpeaceful slumber. This thought disturbed him greatly. "Okay." he said as he closed the door.

A tear fell down his cheek at that idea she'd told him... Lillian saw him run out of the house and slam the door... She wondered if the sadness had gotten to him too.


	4. Too much to Bear

When you're Gone 

Ch 4

It was later in the morning. Shrek was sitting on top of a mountain. Thoughts were running through his mind. There was too much drama at the minute to relax. He needed to chill. The sadness had almost gotten to him if he hadn't gotten out of the house.

But he felt an odd breeze and was worried. He had a hunch something bad was happening at the swamp. He ran there at once. He was shocked to see the swamp in the middle of a whirlpool and was worried. Lillian was on the ground. "What happened?" he said to her. "I don't know but then later the wind picked up and became a whirlpool. I managed to get out okay." She said to him. He then realised someone he cared about wasn't with her. "Where's Fiona?" he asked worriedly.

"Still inside. She locked herself in the bedroom and I couldn't get her out of there." She told him. He then found a rope and threw it up to the house and tied it tightly so that it wouldn't break off. "What're you doing?" Lillian asked him. "Going up there. I've got to save her." He explained. He then climbed up and entered the house. He went in and ran to the bedroom. He kicked down the door and went in.

Fiona was still asleep so he picked her up and put her over his shoulder. "Let's get out of here." He said. But then Lillian screamed as the house came down as her son in law jumped out and it landed but was destroyed. Shrek then pushed Fiona into Lillian's arms as parts of the house fell down on him. "Are you okay?" she asked Fiona worriedly. She opened her eyes. "What-What's going on?" she asked darkly. "There was a whirlpool and it engulfed the house so your husband climbed up there and got you out." She explained. "Where is he?" she said to her. But before she could answer, they heard a grunting noise and Shrek lifted up a piece of rubble with his bare hands and threw it away. "You're okay!" Fiona said as she ran into his arms. But then he collapsed onto the ground… This frightened her greatly. Lillian watched as she brought him into the house and into the bedroom. "Will he be okay? Please tell me! I can't bear to lose him too!" she said to her. Lillian didn't know what to say that would make it better for her.

She then left the room. Fiona then wrapped her arms around him. Suddenly his eyes opened. "Hey Fiona. Are you hurt?" he said to her quietly. "I'm fine. I was afraid that you'd leave me like my Dad did." she said quietly. "It's okay. My arm's just broken but more or less I'm fine." he told her. She smiled sadly. "Yeah I know." she told him. He then went into the living room. Lillian was making a cup of tea. "I think things are getting worse with Fiona. The whirlpool made her more freaked out than before." he said to her. "Yeah I saw it when you fell into her arms." she told him. He then heard sobbing come from the bedroom. Fiona was in the bathroom cutting herself with the razor. She felt good as the blood ran down her sleeves. Shrek saw this and was worried. He wanted to help her but he was running out of time. She then walked out and changed into purple pyjamas. He sighed as he joined Lillian. "She's cutting herself with the razor." he told her grimly. Lillian couldn't believe this. "How do you know?" she asked. "I heard her do it." he told her as tears welled up in his brown eyes. Things were very bad at the moment and he had a feeling it was about to get worse...

He was asleep on the couch when Lillian woke him up. "Please hurry. Fiona's in danger! She won't wake up!" she said worriedly. He then followed her into the bedroom. Fiona was on the bed with the razor in her hand. "Fi honey. It's me your husband. I know you're hurting yourself." he said nervously. He then carried her in his arms to hospital. He watched as they put her in a hospital bed and put her on a life support machine. Fear was running through him. "Please let her be okay. I can't bear to be without ya." he thought. Lillian watched as he left. She followed him. "It'll be okay." she said to him as he broke down in front of her.

Harold was watching this from the spirit world. He was upset. He hoped she'd be okay or their family would be torn apart and that was something he couldn't bear to let happen... "Please let her recover. She must've done it to join me." he thought as it vanished before his eyes.


	5. If Only

When you're Gone 

Ch 5

Lillian was woken by a smashing noise come from the kitchen and went into the living room. She found her son in law standing beside a broken cup. He seemed awake but he wasn't. "Are you okay?" she said to him but he didn't respond.

She then waved her hand in front of his face but he still didn't respond. She knew it was because of Fiona. He mumbled as Lillian led him to the couch. "It'll be okay. She'll be fine." She told him calmly. He smiled at that.

She then saw a tear fall down his face. But she saw Puss standing there. "They want you to come to the hospital right away. They found… something interesting you might want to see." He told him. She nodded and followed him. She felt bad about leaving her son in law but he'd be okay. Maybe there was a glimmer of hope but she didn't know…

Harold smiled. He knew what was going on with Fiona. The doctors had done an ultra sound and three buns in the oven in her. If she survived, she and his son in law could start a family. Lillian was overjoyed at the news. She watched as her daughter was still out cold. "Please get better honey. Something special might happen if you do." She thought as she held her daughter's hand.

Harold wondered where his daughter's spiritual self had went to but she was trapped in dreams and nightmares. He could hear her but couldn't see her. "Can you hear me?" he said quietly but she didn't answer. This worried him greatly. He then saw his son in law toss and turn in his sleep.

He could feel his fear and anxiety flow from him. He needed to calm him down but was unsure of what to say or do that would make him feel better. "Please be okay. I know Fiona being in the emergency room is freaking you out. I wish I could make the pain go away for you but I can't make it go away." he whispered to him. Donkey was worried for his amigo. First Harold had croaked, Fiona had started acting weird and then ended up in the emergency room. He had to keep him from doing the same. "Hey man. Sleep well?" he said to him as he woke up.

"Not really. I keep thinking about Fiona being different after what happened to Harold. But what keeps beating me up is that I couldn't save her and it hurts so bad. I need to see her, to know she's okay. Maybe that way... I can destroy the guilt that's eating inside of me." he admitted quietly. "It's okay. We know it's been a tough few days for the both of you especially Fiona. If something happened to Dragon, I wouldn't be able to bear that happening." Donkey said to him calmly. He saw him push away a bowl of eyeball soup. This lack of eating was worrying him. He then saw Puss and wondered what was going on because there was a look of excitement on his face. Lillian then came over to her son in law. "H-How is she?" he asked her. "She's still the same. I'm afraid. They found something on the ultra sound." she explained to him. "Please tell me even if it is bad news." Shrek said to her. "They found three babies in her stomach. That means if she heals, you and her can start a family." she told him. There was a darkened expression on his face. "I see." he said as he went into the bedroom and closed the door quietly.

This news disturbed him greatly. "What if she never wakes up? That's something I can't bear to let happen. Please let her recover." he thought as he stared into space. So many things had happened since he met Fiona. A sad smile crossed his face at this... Lillian then came in with a cup of tea. "Are you okay son?" she asked him. "I... I was just thinking about things, that's all. I'm worried for her in case... she never wakes up. I can't bear to let it happen. Could you?" he said quietly to her. She saw sadness in his eyes and understood. He'd been lonely for so long and then he'd found somebody like him, her daughter and things couldn't have gone better until now. She didn't want to think about what would happen if she never woke up.

She left the room. She hoped that things would, could go back to the way it was but she knew it could never happen. Suddenly she heard something. "Lillian!" a voice said. "Harold?" she thought as she turned her head around and saw his spirit appear. He reached out for her but his hand went through her hand. "I'm sorry if my death caused pain and begins to tear the family apart. I wish I could turn things around and have Fiona with us and back to normal. If only." he said quietly.

She nodded to him. "I know. If we could've seen what happened to Fiona before you passed away, we could've helped her and this would all be a bad dream." she told him. He smiled sadly at her. "We can't turn back time, I'm afraid. If only we had foreseen this. We could've helped her come to terms with this. I know the family is seriously hurting especially our son in law. We must be there for him in case he tries to..." Harold explained to her. She then freaked out as he faded. After that, she broke down...

She needed to help her son in law but why couldn't she grieve for Harold? She then turned her face away from both Donkey and Puss as tears ran down her face... Things were getting worse and it seemed nothing could get better...


	6. Losing Grip

When you're Gone 

Ch 6

In Shrek's mind there was turmoil. Memories of that morning when Lillian showed up and told them that Harold had croaked were running through his mind. He shivered in fear. But dark thoughts were revealing themselves and he couldn't make them go away, no matter how hard he tried.

"_Maybe it' s finally happening or maybe I'm about to crack or go mental. Everything hurts and I can't make the pain go away. Dad's death was so painful to hear but I never got the chance to grieve. But now my wife is fighting for her life and it's frightening me. I don't want to be a loner again."_ He thought darkly as he brought a sword near him and unsheathed it. "_Do it already! You know she's probably gone by now so join her. What will you do if she never wakes up and you're alone again?_

_Besides it'd make you better if you did end your life. Your family's being torn at the seams as we speak. What do you think?"_ a voice in his head said to him. This worried him. Should he do it? But he thought about it seriously. How did he know his True Love was lost forever? He then felt anger and sadness overtake him and brought it to his throat. Lillian then came in but dropped what she was holding at this. She then grabbed the sword from him with the strength in her body. "Why were you trying to do that?" she asked him calmly. "I… I wanted to rid myself of the pain my heart keeps feeling because of what happened to Fiona. I heard a voice in my head. It said it was okay." He told her.

She was alarmed by his answer especially the part about the voice telling him to end his life so he could join those he loved but dearly missed. "I need to keep an eye on him." She thought as she left the room. Suddenly Harold reappeared. "I need to talk to you honey. It's to do with our son in law. He started to hear voices in his head telling him to join those he loves in the spirit world. I'm worried for him." She explained to him. He nodded. "I see. We need to look after him. Maybe this has gotten to him but worse." He said.

He then walked through the bedroom. His son in law was hurting more than ever and now he was hearing voices. This worried him. "Be strong as I know you can be. I need your help to patch this family back together." He thought as he tried to touch him but his hand went through him.

"_I wish I could wake up and all this would be a bad dream. Fiona wouldn't be in danger and I'd never feel bad like this. Could I, should I end my life and be with those I love in the spirit world?"_ Harold heard his son in law think as he tossed and turned in his sleep… Harold knew that his son in law hurt easily but never wanted to say how he felt. He had to do something before he lost his mind.

He then faded. Lillian then decided to go see Fiona. But Puss and Donkey had decided to stay and look after their ogre amigo because he was hurting more than Lillian. They watched as he made himself something to eat but picked at it. "Are you okay senor?" Puss said to him but was worried by the sadness in his friend's brown eyes. Donkey was worried too. He then watched as their friend took off from the house. "Should we... follow him? Just in case he tries to hurt himself." he told Puss. "No senor. We must leave him alone for a while. He's the one hurting more than any of us at the minute. Besides if anything happens, I'll try to help him, okay? Maybe you should go and be with your family. They're probably worried about you." he said as he ran out of the house...

Shrek was sitting n the top of a high tree thinking. A lot had happened the last few days and it was beginning to show. Suddenly thunder raged through the sky with rain. "Just how I feel at the moment. Everything is bringing me down and I can't stand it." he thought but then a blast of thunder hit the tree he was in. Puss watched as he jumped out of it and hit the ground head first. This worried him as he moved his amigo out of the way. He was unconscious now too like Fiona. "Le Siento amigo." he whispered as he got help from Donkey to bring him into the bedroom and put hi on the bed. Fear was running through Lillian as she came home. Something terrible had just happened but couldn't figure out what...


	7. Voices

When you're Gone 

Ch 7

Lillian was worried. She'd just found out that her son in law hit his head and was out cold. But somehow he seemed to be coming around. Puss and Donkey watched as he opened his eyes. "Hey guys what happened?" he said to them. "You fell out of a tree head first. You're lucky to be alive, you know that senor?" Puss said to him.

"Yeah I know. Where's Fiona?" he told him. Lillian hesitated at his question. He saw worry and fear in her eyes. "She… She's in the hospital remember?" Donkey said to him. Shrek's face darkened at that. "Now I remember. She was altered by Dad's death. I should just join her in the spirit world." He said quietly. Puss seemed worried by that. "I don't think it's a good idea. Our family is being torn apart by this." He said. Shrek nodded. They watched as he went into the bath room and left him on his own. He then heard laughter in his head. "What's the big idea?" he said angrily. _"You thought you could heal so easily? You're wrong! She'll never wake up. I saw her in the spirit world a few hours ago. She's pining for ya Shrek, why don't you join her? You know you want to! Forget the family! They're history and it can never be fixed. Your father in law wants you to join him too." _The voice in his head told him. "I'm not listening to you! My family needs me. I know I can fix it." He said. Lillian had heard this and was worried.

"Are you alright?" she asked him. "Yeah I'm fine. Why would you think other wise?" he told her. "A few miHnutes ago I heard you talking to something." She said. "I'm fine. It must be stress that's causing it, that's all." He replied. He watched her leave the bedroom and went back into the bath room. He looked in the mirror. He looked beat up like when he used to fight a lot when he was a teenager. He then heard the laughter as the voice returned in his head to torment him more. _"Stress eh? I know you're upset about Harold's death but you're too manly enough to show it like when your parents died. Remember that? Besides we know you haven't slept since this all happened."_ It told him. He felt nervous as he picked up a sword. He brought it to his arm. "_Yes! Let it out! The pain that's festered itself within you for twenty five years." _It told him as grief overtook him and he cut his arm. "I'm sorry I let you down ohana. I need Fiona and if she's in the spirit world, then there's where I need to be." He told himself… Everything went black...

He then woke up later on the couch under a blanket. "He's awake! Thank goodness" Lillian said relieved. "What happened?" Shrek asked her. He was feeling weak and his neck hurt. "We found you lying on the bath room floor with a sword blade in your neck. We managed to remove it but your neck, it's going to hurt for a while. You were also mumbling about joining Fiona in the spirit world. What was that about?" Donkey told him. There was fear on his face at that. "There's been a voice in my head. It keeps bugging me to hurt myself and the only way to heal is by going to the spirit world. I can't fight it." he explained to them. Puss was shocked by that answer. "Maybe this thing with Harold is getting to you. But you also haven't slept since this whole thing happened." he said to him. "I know. It's the feeling of never being with Fiona or hearing her sweet voice again." he said through tears. They then left him alone for a while.

Harold then decided that his son in law needed help. He waited until it was night time and then made his move...


	8. Spiritual Intervention

When you're Gone 

Ch 8

Harold knew his son in law needed urgent help. Who knew what he might do next in order to see Fiona again. "_Everything's been affected by my death so bad, they haven't moved on and the pain is blinding them to the destruction of our family. At least if I can get through to my son in law, it might be a good start." _He thought as he entered the house through the wall. Shrek was on the couch awake but nervous. He hoped that that voice hadn't came back to haunt him or things would get worse. "Hello son." He said to him as he came towards the couch. "Dad? What's going on here? I… I thought you were in the spirit world. I bet Fiona's there too." He told him fear quivering in his voice. "Yes I'm in the spirit world. I had to intervene in a crisis." Harold said calmly.

"What do you mean?" Shrek asked him. "I needed to help you because… I've been watching our family and it's not in good shape. I also know that Fiona's depression over me is hurting the swampy but sweet glue that puts this family together. I also know something that might make you relieved. That voice in your head, it keeps telling you that Fiona's with me, right?" he told him. "Yes but what is it you want to tell me?" Shrek asked him. "She's not dead. I know because if she was, she'd be with me but she's not. She's still alive but trapped." Harold explained to him.

"Trapped where? Please I need to find her. Not being with her has driven me up the wall. I need to know." Shrek said urgently. "She must be trapped in dreams or memories. There's only one way to get her out. It's hope but mainly pure love, the love that brought the two of you together. It can help but you need to ignore that voice in your head." Harold told him.

"How?" Shrek said to him nervously. "Ignore it or push it away by remembering everything good that happened after falling in love and it may help. I… I have to go. I 've finished for now. It's up to you Son to repair what sadness has broken. Good Luck." He whispered as he faded. Suddenly Shrek heard that insane laughter as that voice returned._ " Why listen to him? You know she's gone and never coming back. He lied to make you feel better!"_ it hissed. "No! That's not true. She's still alive. Apparently you're the one who lied. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to see my wife and repair my family so get lost!" he yelled. The voice stopped. It had gone for good. "Where're you going?" Puss asked him. "I'm going to see Fiona and bring her back so we can start a family." He told him as he walked out the door.

Lillian smiled at that. "He must've gotten better. But how?" she thought as she sipped tea. Shrek felt a little odd holding his wife's hand but it would help. He then closed his eyes. Suddenly he thought back to when they'd first met after saving her from the Dragon's Keep. She'd been waiting there for ages waiting for a prince or a brave knight to rescue her but it turned out to be him. He laughed softly at the look on her face when he removed her helmet. He'd never dreamed something good would happen to him but Fiona, she was like a fallen angel from heaven. He then thought of the morning after that when she'd cooked eggs for them. _"Maybe you shouldn't judge people before you get to know them… Princess and ugly don't go together. That's just the way it has to be."_ He remembered her saying in his head.

"Please wake up honey. I… miss you. Your laughter as we enjoyed long hot days in the lake, your bravery when in extreme danger like with Charming. Your love for your Dad even though he lied to you about the tower thing and about himself. Also your loyalty to me is something special. Whenever hunters tried to hurt me, you always made things better. Our family's in grave danger of being torn at the seams." He said to his unconscious spouse.

He then walked away almost out of the room when he heard it.

"By night one way

By day another

This shall be the norm

Until you take

True Love's First Kiss

And then take Love's

True form." A voice said weakly. He then turned around. "_Could she? Please let this not be a cruel joke."_ He thought as he came nearer the bed. It wasn't. "Hey honey." Fiona said weakly as she reached out for him. "Thank goodness you're back! Our family was almost torn apart. But what woke you up?" he said as he hugged her gently.

"It was you. I was almost lost but you saved me once again." She told him as they kissed.

She then felt pain in her stomach as she felt things kick in there. "What's going on? Why is my stomach hurting?" she asked him. He smiled at her proudly. "There's a reason for that. There's three little buns in the oven in there." He simply said. This made her happy. "Dad said not to worry about him. He knows you're hurting but bringing three ogrelings into the world might make things better. I know it." He told her. He watched as she fell asleep. "Dad watch over her until I come back." He whispered as he left. Lillian wondered why his son in law was in such a good mood.

"She woke up! I did what Dad said and it worked. Maybe later you should go see her." he told her. She was confused by what he said. "What do you mean Dad gave you advice?" she asked him. "He came here last night and we talked like we used to before he passed away. He also said we shouldn't worry about him." he said to her...

Maybe now there could be hope for the family...


	9. Tragedy strikes Again

When you're Gone 

Ch 9

Twelve years had passed since the triplets were born and now they were teens. Fiona was relieved that the dark cloud of sadness that had engulfed the family when Harold had died had gone but soon it would return… She watched as the kids came home from high school but her eldest son Mai was upset about something as he ran past her into the house and into his room. "What's wrong with him?" Fiona asked her daughter Maya. "We don't know. He was fine but then after lunch, he was like that but depressed." She told her as she went into the kitchen.

Shrek was at the table drinking some swamp coffee. He'd seen Mai run off worried and wanted to know what was going on. "Something must've happened that he doesn't want to tell us about, I think. Maybe we should let him cool off." Maya said as she hugged him. He smiled at that. "At least some things never change around here." He thought. He then crept over to Mai's bedroom door and opened it a crack. His son was standing in front of a mirror. This worried him as he closed the door quietly. Mai then heard thoughts coming into his head, unpleasant ones as a voice reared it's head. _" Why do you let them hurt you? Those kids at school. But I know a way to kill the pain, make it gone completely." _It told him.

"How do I make it go away?" he asked it curiously. "_Let the anger that's been bottled up since you were a child over take you. In order to heal, you must hurt… yourself."_ It replied. He nodded. His eyes then fixed itself on the sword on the bed. He'd taken it from his parent's room without them knowing. He then thought of all those who jeered him, made fun of him because he was Ogrese. He then cut an ear with the sword. He looked in the mirror as the blood ran down the side of his face. Also a piece of the ear had landed on the floor. He then heard his Mom call for dinner but ran into the bath room first to wash off the blood. He then came into the room very quiet. "They don't have to know anything." he thought as he ate. But Shrek saw his son's left ear and was freaked. Fiona then shot him a look which meant they'd talk about it later when Mai wasn't around.

Later the kids went off to the mall with their friends. This gave Fiona the perfect chance to search Mai's room. She then found the piece of the ear by the mirror and was worried. Why was he doing this? She hoped that nothing was happening to their son. "Look at this." she said to Shrek as she showed him the ear. "I knew he cut it but why? We need to talk to him. Maybe something's wrong and he's too ashamed to tell us." he told her as they sat in the kitchen. But later Maya and Bex came home but Mai wasn't with them. But then the cops showed up with bad news...

"What's going on?" Fiona said to them. "Your son Mai, he's in hospital. He... tried to commit ogrecide." the officer explained. Later on that night sadness was engulfing Fiona as she opened her locket. It had a picture of the kids when they were babies. Shrek was worried for her. He remembered what had happened when Harold had died and if that happened to Mai, he wouldn't know what to do. He wrapped his arms around her as she broke down into sadness...


	10. Once More

When you're Gone 

Ch 10

Fiona didn't feel like getting up as dawn broke. What had happened last night was too awful to bear. It was painful to hear that her son was in hospital fighting for his life. Lillian was up making tea. She knew this latest news had affected her daughter deeply like when Harold had passed away. Shrek agreed. He was worried but had to be strong for both Fiona and the kids. He walked into the bed room. Fiona was curled up into a ball with blankets covering her. "Hey honey. Are you feeling better?" he said to her.

"No. Our son is in danger and I'm feeling lousy like I'm the worst mother in the world. My heart is breaking more so than when Dad died. I can't do anything to help him and… it hurts. Is this what's it like to have a family?" she said quietly. He saw the scar on her arm and was nervous. _"Oh no! This thing with Mai is making her depressed again that's she's cutting. But what can I do? Maybe she'll heal or Mai will get better and everything will be okay, I hope."_ He thought as he hugged her tightly. "You're not. I know it hurts. You can't let the sadness take over again. If you got so depressed and tried to end yourself, it would sadden me greatly." He said calmly as he kissed her. He watched as she fell asleep in her arms.

He smiled sadly at that. He then watched her toss and turn in her sleep but he managed to calm her down. Somebody then appeared. It was Harold. "Hey Dad, what're you doing here?" he said to him. "I know she's upset because of Mai but I can feel that in her soul, she's getting worse. She needs you and our family's help. I would hate seeing her with me, would you?" he told him. "Yeah I would but she keeps looking at the picture in the locket when the kids were only babies. I'm worried. Also she's started cutting again." His son in law told him. He reached out for Fiona's arm but his ethereal hand went through it. "Please look after her for me son. She needs her inner strength back and you're the only one who can give it back to her." He explained as he faded…

Fiona then woke up. There were red rims around her eyes from when she'd been crying. Everything hurt especially her heart. "_When will the pain go away? I want to help my family but all my strength is leaving me. When will I ever be happy again? To laugh once more. But I guess it'll never happen again to me."_ She thought as she unsheathed a sword and brought it to her. She then slit part of her stomach. "Aagh! It hurts but feels so good!" she screamed in agony. Lillian ran in and was alarmed. She then wrapped a towel around her daughter and carried her to hospital. She hoped her son in law wouldn't find out… Harold saw this and was more worried.

He wished he could take away the pain but he couldn't. He then hoped it would be okay. It would hurt knowing that she'd joined him because she couldn't stop hurting. Lillian felt the same. Her son in law had went for a shower.to chill out. Thoughts were running through his mind. Things were too crazy around here. He wished that Fiona would be okay. He couldn't bear being lonely if she went too. That would be hard. A tear welled in his eye at that thought. But he shook these thoughts out of his head as he closed his eyes and dreamed.

He found himself in a grave yard and Lillian was kneeling near a grave putting sun flowers near it. He then approached her. "Hey Mom what's wrong? Why're you like this?" he said to her. He then felt shivers run through his spine as he saw whose grave it was. It was Fiona's. "No! This can't be! How... How did it happen?" he said angrily. There was a grim look on her face at that. "She gave in to the depression and ended her life. She didn't tell you because she didn't want you or the kids to suffer or feel pain for her choice. I'm sorry." she explained to him. Tears ran down his face as he ran through the grave yard. He woke up , sweat dripping down his face. It was only a dream, a very bad one. He shivered at the memory of it. He then came into the living room and sat in the alligator chair near the fire. He wondered where Lillian was. He hoped she wasn't in a grave yard... He then saw her enter the house. She seemed down. "I need to tell you something. It's to do with Fiona." she told him...


	11. Saving a loved One from darkness

When you're Gone

Ch 11

Puss knew that Fiona was hurting and needed help. He also knew the boss was hurting as well. He hadn't been sleeping good. "Have you considered giving her Prozac?" he asked Shrek. "No I haven't. What does it do? It better not be like catnip." He told him.

"Trust me, it's not! Let's say they make you happy. I thought maybe we could let her take some and she'd be happy again. Isn't that what you want?" he explained to him. "Yes but I don't know. Keep it down. Fiona's cpming!" he said as his wife came out of the bed room. She seemed upset. Also with being depressed, she hadn't been eating and she looked thin.

"Don't talk about it, okay? Everything hurts including my heart. Sometimes I want to break away from all this but I can't." Fiona said to him moodily as she walked out the door. She wandered off to her parent's kingdom. So many memories lay here. _"It hurts being here. So much has happened since the last time I was here. _

_Maybe it's too much to bear, my father's death, my son fighting for his life… It's too much and it's draining me of everything that was great, my strength, my heart. What have I left to keep me here? Tell me that. But my True Love would be upset if I choose what's going through my mind at the minute. But maybe it would end the suffering they feel at the moment so why not?"_ she thought as the rain came down. Puss had brought back some Prozac for Fiona. He hoped it would work. "How're we going to get her to take it?" Shrek said to him. "I don't know. I'll think of something, okay?" he told him. He then watched as she came in, soaked to the bone. He then wrapped a towel around her. She seemed more down than ever as he held her in his arms. He was feeling worry and depression flow from her body. "Is something the matter? You know you can tell me anything." he said to her gently.

She hesitated before speaking. "I was thinking about things. I was at my parent's kingdom and I was wondering what do I have left in my life that keeps me living? It's just with Dad's death and Mai in hospital, I'm not strong like I should be. If I died, would the suffering for our family end?" she told him. This severly frightened him. "Oh Fiona you don't have to do this alone. You know I'm here for you as well as the family. Besides if you left, my world would be torn apart and it'll feel like the sun will never rise any more. I... I had a dream last night. It was about you. I was in a grave yard and your Mom, she was kneeling beside a grave putting sun flowers on it. I read the stone and it... was yours. That fact alone scared me, brought me to my knees." he told her. This shocked her. She then went into the bath room and had a shower. She couldn't her sadness was affecting her husband, causing him to have dark dreams about her death. She then changed into another dress and walked into the living room. Her husband was lying on the couch. She knelt down beside him. He was tossing and turning in his sleep. "I'm sorry. My pain is hurting me and now it's hurting you. If we are both to heal, I must go." she whispered to him. She then walked out the door. Lillian was worried. She'd seen her daughter walk out carrying a sword and was worried. She then saw her son in law wake up with a start. "What's wrong?" he said to her. "You've got to go now before she does something drastic! Please!" she said worriedly.

He knew what was wrong. He'd heard what Fiona whispered into his ear. He needed to save her from herself. He ran into the forest. Fiona at this point was bringing the sword to her stomach where it'd been stitched up. "No more pain, no more agony, no more sadness after I do this." she thought. "Fiona no!" she heard somebody yell. It was Shrek. He looked upset but determined as he pulled the sword out of her hands. "What are you doing here? Can't you understand that this'll free me from the pain I've been feeling since Dad left!" she retorted angrily to him. "I know but slaying yourself isn't the answer. It won't free ya of the pain or agony. But it'll create more agony for those who love you and care for you. There's been too much pain in my heart for the last few days and if you did this act of cowardice, it would scar me more than when my parents died." he said bravely to her. Tears were welling up in his eyes but he didn't care. "Please honey you don't have to do this. There're other ways of dealing than this. My world revolves around you and if you went, it would crumble." he told her. She nodded. "If you love me and want to heal without upsetting the family, take my hand." he said gently. Fiona felt nervous about this.

There was a choice in front of her. Take her life and destroy the family or take her husband's hand and try to heal. She then felt strength returning and grabbed his hand. He smiled at that. "Come on honey, let's go home." he said gently. They walked home holding hands. Later he brought her a cup of tea. He and Puss mixed in it some Prozac in hopes of making her mood improve. "I'm sorry I upset you. You're the only one who would understand what it's like to lose someone you truly care about. I feel down still but I know I can count on you to help." she told him quietly. He nodded reassuringly. "I want to help. I couldn't let you give in like that... like in the dream I had. Your Mom told me you'd died because you gave in to the depression but I couldn't let it come true." he said as he kissed her. They hadn't talked like this for a while... He watched as she fell asleep in his arms, He wanted to leave but couldn't. Fiona was in a praceful sleep for once and he wasn't leaving the room for anybody. He hoped that the pain within her would heal seeing as he'd helped her realise that it wasn't her fault all this happened.

But then Lillian came in holding something. It was his son's body. This was more than he could bear. He felt like falling into grief but he knew how powerful a hold grief had on somebody you love. He then decided to wait until morning but decided not to tell Fiona about this. She'd been through enough already and he couldn't let the vicious circle of grief start again...


	12. A friend in Pain

When you're Gone 

Ch 12

Lillian knew he was upset about this. "What're you going to do?" she asked him calmly. "I don't know. I don't want to tell Fiona in case she gets mucho upset again." Shrek said to her. She understood. She knew that if Fiona found out, she'd freak again and didn't want it to happen. She then took Mai's body and hid it somewhere where her daughter wouldn't find it.

"Where're you going?" Lillian asked him. "I'm going to have some alone time. I need it, okay?" he told her as he walked out the door. Sadness was stirring inside him. He wanted to forget the pain that had just happened to him because of Mai. He then saw Harold's ghost appear. "Hello Son, you seem upset. Is anything the matter?" he said to him. "Yeah sort of. It's Mai… He passed away. I don't want Fiona to see his body in case she gets depressed again. I want to tell her but I'm afraid. What should I do?" he told him. Harold thought about it for a while. "I think you… should wait until she's back to normal and ready to deal with something like this. I know you gave her Prozac to help her deal with it." He explained.

"How come you show up sometimes like this and give me good advice?" Shrek asked him. "I watch over the family from the spirit world and miss them especially Fiona so I try to help out whenever I can." Harold said to him. He understood. He watched as he vanished once more. Lillian wondered what was going on as her son in law came back to the swamp. "I spoke to Dad and he told me not to tell Fiona about Mai because it would just upset her more. When she's ready to deal with it, I'll tell her." He told her. He then put some Prozac pills he'd crushed into a cup of tea and took it into the bed room where Fiona was waiting for him. "Hey honey. Are you okay?" he asked her. "Yeah I'm fine." She told him quietly. He watched as she sipped tea. He hoped she wouldn't find out about Mai… She saw sadness in his eyes. "Did something bad happen?" she asked him. "No, nothing happened." he told her. But inside he was hurting. Mai was his favourite son and was like him in every way and now.. he was gone. It hurt.

"I can't tell her. If I revealed what was going on, she'd get depressed again and start cutting again." he thought as he smiled sadly. "Sometimes I wish I could escape." he said to her. "Yeah I know the feeling." Fiona replied. He nodded as he left the room. He then fell into the alligator chair. He wanted to cry but couldn't show it. Puss could tell something was wrong with his amigo but didn't want to ask. "Hey guys! What's up?" Donkey said to them. Shrek just glared at him sadly. "What's up with him?" he asked Puss. "I don't know. You should talk to him. You're the one he trusts more." he said to him. Donkey agreed and came over beside his ogre friend. Was that a tear he saw fall down his friend's face? It was. "Is something the matter? You know you can tell me. We are best friends." he said to him. "It's nothing Donkey. Just forget it, okay?" he yelled at him. They watched as he walked out and sat outside. He then made a fire and lay beside it. He looked up at the night sky. The stars had just came out. This made him feel a bit better. He then used the stars to remember Mai. Puss watched as his friend gave into sadness. "So that's what's wrong! Mai passed away. That's why he's upset." he thought as he watched him in his private moment of grief. Did Fiona know? Probably not. He then came over to him. He then curled up beside him.

"Don't worry, it'll be alright. The passing of a child always upsets the parents. I know you'll come around. Don't worry, I won't tell Fiona. I promise." he said softly...


	13. A Father's Grief

When you're Gone

Ch 13

Lillian was worried for her son in law. He kept out of the house most of the time and when he was in the house, he was very quiet. She wondered if it was to do with Mai. She watched as he went into the bed room. Puss could see his amigo was hurting but he or Donkey didn't know what to do. They knew they couldn't tell Fiona. Puss then saw the boss walk out of the house and followed him. He was going into the grave yard with a burlap bag. He watched as he pulled Mai's body out of it and put it beside an unmarked grave. He then got a shovel and started to dig.

When he was done, he put his son's body in it and sealed off the grave by covering it with earth. "I'm sorry." He said quietly. Puss then went back to the swamp. Lillian was in the living room drinking tea. "Where were you?" she asked him. "I followed the boss… to a grave yard." He simply said. "But what was he doing there?" Donkey asked him. Puss growled a little at that. "You burro! What do you think he was doing? He was burying Mai's body. He probably is upset but doesn't want to show it so when he comes in, don't ask where he's been!" he said quietly. He understood as their amigo returned. There was an expression of grief on his face. They watched as he sat in the alligator chair and just stared into the fire, lost in his thoughts. Lillian then saw Fiona walk out into the living room. Her eyes were as wide as the sun. "Oh no!" Puss yelled. "What's wrong you're like that?" Lillian asked him. "We gave her too much Prozac! She's on a happy trip. We've got to make her fall asleep. Maybe that way, the pills will wear off." He explained… Shrek was jolted out of his silent reverie by this. "Maybe I should just tell her. We never hid secrets before and I'm not gonna start! As soon as she comes down off that Prozac stuff, I'll tell her and then we can grieve together, right?" he thought as he stared back into the fire. He hoped she could handle this news or the family was screwed. He then led Fiona into the bedroom and helped her onto the bed. As soon as she hit the bed, she fell asleep. He smiled sadly at this as he left the room. He needed to talk to somebody but not Donkey or Puss, someone who had known Fiona since she was born. "Can I talk to you about something?" he told Lillian nervously.

"Sure son. What is it?" she said to him. He cleared his throat before going on. "I was thinking of telling Fiona about Mai passing away but I'm afraid in case she gets depressed again. I love her and the family very much and I would never do anything to hurt them both." he explained to her. "I see. Fiona didn't handle Dad's death very well to the point where she was about to kill herself so it might get worse if you did tell her this. I... think she shouldn't know." she told him. He nodded and went back into the bedroom. Fiona was sleeping peacefully. Within him, he felt his heart was beginning to break and it was too much to bear, all this drama. He then fell into her embrace but fell into dark dreams. Fiona could feel that something was wrong with her husband but didn't know what. She watched as tears ran down his face as he slept. "It'll be okay. Whatever it is, we can face it together." she said to him when he was awake. "I'm sorry honey but I can't tell you. If I did... you'd hurt yourself again and I can't let ya do that to yourself." he said quietly. "I won't. Just tell me, please?" she told him bravely. He sighed.

He knew that sooner or later, she'd find out so why not? "Mai died in hospital. I know this becausae I went to see him and he wasn't awake like last time and the doctors said he'd passed away. You know how it is to hear that. It feels like something precious has been lost forever and can never be found. I'm sorry. I buried him in the grave yard today so that he can rest in peace. I've wanted to tell ya this but couldn't because I knew what would happen if I did." he explained. She then hugged him tighter than before. "I know you're upset. Just don't take it out on yourself, okay? It wasn't your fault he's gone." he reassured her. She nodded. He then stroked her hair. He hoped he'd done the right thing by telling her... Dawn broke but a family was in dire straits of being destroyed. They'd lost Harold and now they'd lost Mai. What else would happen that could break them further? Lillian understood and made some tea. She knew things were stressful at the moment. She watched as her daughter came out dressed in a black dress which suited her mood today. "How're you honey?" she asked her. "Not good. Our family is almost destroyed and there's nothing we can do to save it. Everything is screwed." she told her. "It's not entirely lost honey. Grief destroyed it but maybe hope can fix it. You never know what's going to happen unless you try." she told her. She understood. "But how?" she asked her. "Through Love. That's what started this thing so maybe it can save it." she explained. "Yeah you're right!" she said determinedly...


	14. Inhuman torture

When You're Gone 

Ch 14

Fiona was thinking about what her mother had told her. She wanted the family back together but it could be hard. What if she couldn't fix it? She shook that part out of her head as she thought. "Maybe it'll work. Where's my husband?" she thought quietly as she looked up to the sky. Meanwhile Shrek was visiting Mai's grave. He'd been feeling bad last night and he hadn't slept well.

But somebody was watching this private moment of grief and smiled evilly. "Good. Now you know how I felt when my mother was taken away from me." He thought as he kept watching. He watched as his enemy got to his feet and made his move. He then knocked him out through magic. He put Shrek in a burlap sack and walked off laughing evilly. Fiona then felt that something wasn't right later on that night. Her husband hadn't came back yet and she was getting worried. "Where could he be?" she asked herself. "Don't worry, I'm sure he's fine. He'll come back." Donkey told her. She sighed as she sat at the table and ate some dinner.

Shrek then opened his eyes. His head ached and he was shackled down to a steel table. What was going on? He then saw someone step out of the shadows. "Hello. I see we meet again." He said as he revealed himself. It was Charming. "What do you want?" he asked angrily. "To keep seeing you and your pathetic, so called family suffer and tear apart at the seams! How does it feel to lose somebody? Let me guess, it doesn't feel good, does it? That's good to know." He said to him angrily as he held something in his hand. It was his Mom's wand. "What do you think you're doing? You don't know how to use it!" Shrek said to him. "Oh I do." He cackled as a blast of magical energy shot out of the star and hit Shrek. Pain then throbbed through his entire body. "W-What's happening to me?" he said as it got worse. "You'll see." Charming said as he continued to watch him squirm in agony. But then everything went dark… Harold had been watching this and was scared. He knew what Charming could do when properly angered. "Please let him be safe. Our family needs him." he thought as he kept watch over his son in law.

Charming watched as scars appeared on his enemy's body after the spell wore off. There were also burns over him as well. "Perfect!" Charming said as he watched his enemy wake up. "What do you want to do to me? I've only tried to save my love for Fiona and trying to fix my family. I've never done anything to you." Shrek said to him. Charming laughed at this. "Yeah right!" he said as he shot another blast of magic hit him. He squirmed in pain. Harold felt anger flow through him. He needed to get to Fiona soon. Before anything happened to his son in law that he couldn't fix. He then saw the swamp appear before him. Fiona was standing outside. It was raining. "Who's there?" she asked as she struck a karate pose. She was shocked to see the ghost of her father standing in front of her. "Dad w-what're you doing here?" she asked him quietly. "It's your husband." he said to her. "What do you mean?" she asked him. "He's being hurt, tortured by Charming.. You must hurry if you wish to help him. He's trying his best not to break down in front of Charming but it won't last for long." Harold explained. "Where is Charming?" Fiona said. "He's in an underground dungeon in the catacombs. Go!" he told her. She nodded and took off. She then turned her head around. "Thanks Dad." she whispered as he watched her leave. "You're welcome. I knew you were the perfect daughter ever since you were born." he said as he vanished. Fiona then whistled loudly.

Dragon then showed up. "Thanks for coming. We need to save Shrek. Charming has him in the cata combs and is hurting him." she said as she climbed onto her back. They then took off into the air. "Please let him be alive because if I get there and he's hurt badly, Charming's going to pay with his life!" she thought...

Charming laughed as Shrek writhed in pain under his torture. He laughed with glee. He then took a sword and ripped his shirt and destroyed the belt which kept his trousers up. He was totally exposed. He shivered. It was really cold down there. "That's good to know that you're getting cold... it'll be more fun to see you suffer... slowly." he told him. "P-Please let me get dressed. It's cold down here." he said weakly. "Please let Fiona get here soon before I get beat up or frozen to death but that's what he probably wants." he said under his breath as he sneezed loudly. He was feeling sore and tired. He then fell into sweet slumber... He dreamt of Fiona and being in her embrace.


	15. Revenge is a Poison

When you're Gone

Ch 15

Lillian was worried. Her son in law had been missing for a long time. Now her daughter had gone off and she was scared. But then somebody appeared. It was Harold. "Hello my dear wife. It's been so long. I'm sorry I had to go so soon, that I caused the entire family to shut down. Your daughter is trying to save her True Love because Charming is torturing him and making him freeze to death. You must go help her. I've a feeling she'll need it. I must go now. The realm I live in now doesn't allow you much time in the living world." He told her as he vanished.

She understood and went off to Far, Far Away where the underground catacombs were below her and Harold's castle. She steeled herself mentally for battle as she climbed down the rotted steps into the darkness of the underground. She hoped the ones she loved weren't being hurt…

Charming watched as his enemy shivered in the coldness of the dungeon. "I can't wait until Fiona arrives and watches as her so called prince is on his last breath!" he cackled evilly. Shrek had heard that and was nervous. "So that's his plan! It won't work. I know that once Fiona realises I'm in danger, she'll come and kick his butt." He thought as he shivered. His ears had turned blue and his skin was beginning to do the same. He was trying to break the shackles that kept him to the steel table but he had no strength because he had nothing to eat the last few days and he was getting slimmer. That wasn't good. He hoped that Fiona or somebody would come soon. He felt tired and his eyes closed into sweet dreaming. Charming then kicked him in the stomach hard while he was asleep. Agony flared through him at that. Fiona was watching this from her hiding place. She hated that Charming was hurting the one that she loved the most just because he was angry that everything hadn't gone his way. "You're gonna regret ever messing with me, my family and especially my husband. He's done you no harm but yet you still persist in hurting us. You're going down!" she thought as she saw somebody join her. It was her mother.

"What're you doing here?" she asked her curiously. She smiled at her daughter at that. "I... I came here to help you save your husband and stop that spoiled little brat Charming." she told her. "But why? It's going to be dangerous. I don't know. I want you to help but I'm worried in case it goes wrong. My husband is at stake." she told her quietly. "Yes I know. Do you remember when Charming and his army attacked the kingdom? I can handle myself. I knoiw that this is important but when all this is done, there's something else we must do." Lillian said. "What's that?" Fiona replied. "Trying to fix the family. After your father and Mai both passed away, the family was so messed up that it was about to be torn apart. We should try to fix it." Lillian explained calmly. She nodded. "I'd like that, to have the family back to normal again if it's possible." she told her.

She then watched as Charming hurt her husband once more but this time there was some blood. "No!" she yelled as she ran into the dungeon. Charming was surprised by that but calmed down. "Hello Fiona. I knew you couldn't resist saving him. But he's barely alive. Do you still want to save him?" he said harshly. Fiona stared at him coldly with those blue eyes of hers. Sometimes they could be so cruel or kind... "Yes I do! You're not a prince, you're a monster like your mother! If it wasn't for Shrek, I wouldn't have my happy ever after. I would still be locked up in the tower or married to Farquaad. At least I havew a family." she spat angrily. He watched as she broke the shackles that bound her husband with that awesome strength of hers that had been almost lost through grief. He was getting worried by that but then she got a sword and destroyed his clothes entirely. She then heard a soft chuckle as her husband woke up. "Hey honey. Are you okay?" she said to him. "Yeah I'm fine. Just a few bruises and other things but I'll be fine." he told her as she wrapped a towel around him. "Let's go home." Lillian told him. "Yes let's." he replied as he followed them.


	16. Sick

When you're Gone 

Ch 16

Fiona then snuggled against her husband in bed that night. He was in clothes again but very drained of energy. She couldn't believe Charming had done another stupid stunt like that to get back on them. "I need to tell you something." She whispered to him. "What is it?" he said in his sleep. "Mom and I… We were thinking of fixing the family back together. The way it was before this whole mess started. But I've got another bun in the oven and it's more important that our family is back to normal before it arrives." She told him.

He then woke up at that. "That's good news. I… can be a Dad again. But I don't know about the family thing. How'll it work? Harold's gone and so is Mai. Maya and Bex haven't been themselves since all this happened. I don't know." He said coughing slightly. That scared her. It reminded her of how her father died. "Don't leave me!" she said to him through tears. "What do you mean honey? I'm not going anywhere." He told her reassuringly. "It's… just Dad got sick and then he died. I don't want it to happen to you too." She said as she wrapped her arms around him. "Honey I'll be fine. Yeah I'm a little sick but I can handle it. I know how important the family means to you." he said as he felt dizzy and his vision was blurred. "Whoa! W-What's going on?" he asked weakly as his head ached and he fell back onto the pillow. Fiona was very freaked. "What's wrong? Honey please answer me! I'm getting scared." she said to him. She then felt his head. It was hotter than a volcano. She then heard him moan in pain as some ear wax spewed onto the pillow as well as some mucus. "Stay here! I'm going to get help!" she said as she wrapped him in more blankets...

Lillian then watched as Puss came into the bedroom with Fiona. There was a look of fear on her daughter's face as the feline assasin took a look. "Well what is it?" Fiona asked him. "Relax senorita. It's only a little virus called ogre flu. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about." he told her as she watched her husband stuff tissues up his ears and one up his nose. Fiona then climbed in beside him. "How're you feeling?" she asked him. "Sore. Everything hurts including my stomach and chest." he rasped. His throat was very sore from the flu so it was hard to talk. "I see. At least it's nothing serious. I was scared when you fell onto the pillows and didn't answer me. We need to look after each other as well as the family. I love you. You endured Charming's torture without freaking out." she said to him. He nodded. Instantly he fell asleep. She lay awake just lying there but cuddling him, her brave husband. She wondered if keeping the family alive was possible. But she didn't know. Time would tell. The next morning she got out of bed and went into the living room. Her mother was already up. "Hey Mom." she said to her.

"Hello dear. Is your husband okay?" Lillian asked. "He's feeling under the weather. A virus called ogre flu is what's wrong. Where're Maya and Bex?" she told her. "They're stil in bed, refusing to get up. They can tell something isn't right." Lillian replied. She watched as Fiona entered Maya's room. Her teenage daughter was awake but upset about something. "Hey honey. What's wrong?" she said to her. "Nothing." Maya told her but there was sadness in her brown eyes. "I don't know. There must be something wrong if you don't want to get up." Fiona said calmly. Maya then looked at her. "It's... just we used to have a family but now we don't. It's only just you, me, Bex and Dad. It's just I miss Mai. We should've got him to talk to you before he got to his room. That way he'd still be here making us laugh, teaching Bex things. The reason he was upset was because some village kids in class made fun of him because of being an ogre." she explained. Fiona was shocked but glad to know this. "Why didn't you say this before to your father or me?" she asked. "You were sort of upset because Grandpa died and we promised Mai we wouldn't tell." Maya said quietly. She understood as they came into the living room. Maya sat down at the table. "Where's Dad?" she asked curiously. "He's in bed. He's sick." Lillian answered. "Oh. That makes sense, I guess." she thought as she ate breakfast quietly...


	17. Born Differently

When you're Gone 

Ch 17

Shrek wondered where Fiona was as he saw Lillian come in. He was still under the weather but it wasn't serious. She had a smile on her face. "Have you seen Fiona? I thought she was here in bed when I fell asleep last night." He said to her.

"Yes but… she had something important to do like bearing the new fruit of your loins." She told him. He understood and was happy for his wife. But thoughts of Mai were in his head. He hoped that events wouldn't repeat themselves. "If something like that happened again, I wouldn't know what to do with myself or Fiona." He thought as he fell asleep.

Later that night Fiona came home. She had the new babe in her arms wrapped up. It was a boy with brown eyes like Shrek's and a little ball of hair on it's head. Maya smiled at the new baby. "Are you going to show him to Dad?" she asked as she held him gently. "I don't know. But it can't make a little adorable baby like him sick, can it?" Fiona told her. Lillian watched as the baby smiled at her but she noticed something wasn't right with it. The baby wasn't looking straight at them. That made her realise that it was different. She wanted to say about it to Fiona but didn't want to upset her…

"What's wrong senora? Aren't you happy about the new baby?" Puss asked her. "Yes but something's wrong with it. I think… it's blind." Lillian told him. Puss nodded. "I see. I noticed that the little guy wasn't looking at me either so it must be true." He said. He then watched as Fiona sat down in a rocking chair with the baby in her arms. She realised the baby wasn't looking at her but was gurgling happily and feeling her dress. "He doesn't like me, does he?" Fiona said. "No he doesn't. He… just can't see you at all. I… I think he's blind but maybe you should get him checked." Lillian told her calmly.… She watched as Fiona went out the door with the baby in her arms. Puss followed her. "Where're you going?" he asked her. "I'm getting him checked." she said as she got into the onion carriage and it drove off.

Puss then came into the bed room. Shrek was awake but was coughing slightly. "Hey amigo. What's going on?" he said to him. "She went to the doctor's to get the baby checked. We think it might be blind. If that were true, would you still love him?" he told him. Shrek thought about it. "Yes I would even if it had no sight. He's still my son and that's true, I wanna help him. How's Fiona taking it?" he replied. "Not good. After Lillian suggested it, she went into the onion carriage and took off." he answered. In the early morning Fiona came home with the baby asleep in her arms. She was feeling worried and she needed somebody to talk to about it so it had to be her husband. She came nto the bed room. Shrek then woke up as she entered the room. "Hey honey. Is he okay?" he said to her. She looked upset but hurt. "No he's not. They said that he's blind and will never see what the world outside looks like or what we look like. They also said..." she said, tears welling in her eyes. "What honey?" he asked.

"They said he'll never walk and will need a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Are you angry with me because of this, because our son's disabled?" she told him. "No I'm not. Besides maybe when he's older, he'll have something more to be than the disabled kid. I love him and I'm not ashamed of him. I want to help him with it. Do you?" he reassured her. She was amazed by his words. He was willing to help their new child even though he was disabled and that inspired her. "I think he'll be fine. I want to help him too. But what about when he's older?" she said to him. "Ssh we'll worry about when we get to that bridge. For now, let's just enjoy him as a cute bundle of our joy." he told her as they kissed and he stroked his son's tuft of hair. "What should we call him?" Shrek asked her. "How about Skye?" she suggested. The baby gurgled happily at that. "I think that's a yes to Mommy." Shrek told her. She giggled at that. "Welcome to the world Skye!" she said gently to the baby and tickled him. He started to laugh happily at that.


	18. Leave out the Rest

When you're Gone 

Ch 18

Artie sighed as he sipped some beer at the Poison Apple Pub. Tears welled up as he heard her laughter in his head. Somebody was watching this from a far off table. It was Shrek. He wondered what the young teen was doing here.

"_He seems upset about something. Maybe I should talk to him. It's just odd seeing him here sipping beer and drowning his sorrows. I wonder…" _he thought as he came over to the bar where Artie was sitting. "Hey are you okay?" he said gently to him. Artie turned his head around and saw his friend sitting beside him. "It's nothing, okay?" he said to him. That didn't convince Shrek. "It doesn't seem that way to me. You can tell me. Whatever it is." He told him as he stared into Artie's eyes. There were red rims around them like he'd been crying…

"Okay I'll bite! I was at Worchester Academy again, you know just for a visit. I saw Gwen the love of my life and she was…" he said quietly. "Was what?" Shrek asked. "She was in love with another guy. Some idiot who was Lancelot's cousin. I haven't been the same since then." He said sadly to him. "It'll be okay. How about we go back to the castle." Shrek said to him. "Okay." Artie told him as they walked out of the Poison Apple Pub.

The onion carriage was outside. "Is it cool if I drive?" Artie asked him. Shrek smelled lots of beer on his clothes and was worried but he didn't want to argue with him. "Alright. Just… Just be careful okay?" he told him. Artie nodded as he took the reins and they drove off. Only now the beer was kicking into his blood stream. Shrek noticed as the carriage went faster. But it was too late as the carriage crashed. Suddenly Shrek flew out of it but landed with a few bruises but he smelled something leaking from the carriage. It was gas. He was about to get Artie out of there when it blew up… Shrek was worried as he flipped over the burning wreckage of the carriage. Artie was lying there. There were burns all over his face and hands, his clothes were torn a little and he was out cold. "Oh man! Fiona's so going to slay me for this!" he thought as he scooped Artie up in his arms.

He then got an idea. "I'll go see Merlin! He can help heal Artie." he thought as he walked off. When he got there, it was one in the morning. Shrek sighed as the door opened on it's own and he walked in with Artie in his arms. Merlin's house was a mess. Bottles of potions littered the desks along with lots of chemistry stuff. There were self help books scattered around too with spell books. He then saw Merlin appear. "What happened to him that he's like this?" he said quietly to Shrek. "There was an accident involoving the carriage. He drove it while he was drunk and crashed. I was about to get him when there was gas leaking out of it. It blew up and went on fire so I tipped it over and found him lying. He looked like this." he explained to him. Merlin understood. He then mixed up some things in a cauldron and created a potion. He then put it in a bottle. "This should help him, I think." Merlin told him as he gave it to him. Shrek looked worried as he left but Merlin stopped him. "You've got something on your mind, don't you?" he said to him. "Yes I do but there's no time." Shrek told him. Merlin watched as he left. Fear and worry was running through his mind as he walked back to the swamp. He knew that Fiona would be angry when she found out what happened...

Luckily when he got back, Fiona and Lillian had gone into Duloc to shop so he went into his and Fiona's room and got some spare pillows and a blanket. He then put Artie carefully on the couch, laid his head on the pillow and put the blanket over him. But Puss had been watching this. "Boss why is Artie here and why... does he look so hurt?" he asked him. Shrek sighed. "We were in a carriage crash, okay? It's a long story. I went to get something from Merlin to help. Just don't let Fiona know? She'll be furious." he said as he opened the bottle. Puss gave him a spoon as he put some of the medicine in Artie's mouth and watched as he swallowed it. He then heard the kid's heart beat. That relieved him. But then he saw Fiona come in. She was shocked to see Artie lying there, badly burned and hurt. "What happened to him?" she asked worriedly. Lillian was worried too as she saw her nephew lying there. "We were coming back from the Poison Apple and he wanted to drive but he had a few beers. I tried to stop him but he still drove it but he crashed. I then went to get him but the carriage blew up and went on fire because there was gas leaking from it. I tipped over the carriage and Artie was lying there burnt badly and out cold. I gave him some medicine from Merlin so hopefully it should work. I'm sorry." he explained. He watched as Fiona knelt beside the couch where Artie was lying out cold.

But at night time when the kids were asleep, Shrek was still up drinking coffee and sitting in his alligator chair near the fire. He was thinking about eariler. He knew it was his fault Artie was hurt and it hurt him greatly than any wound could. He then saw a weird glow come from the couch and went over to check it out. The glow faded as he looked at Artie's ears. They had changed into ogre ears! "Oh no! This shouldn't be happening!" he thought as he gave him some more. He watched as Artie opened his eyes. "Hey what happened? Why does... everything hurt?" he said weakly as he put a hand to one of his ears. He was worried as it felt odd and soft. He was worried when he realised they were ogre ears. His finger tips and nails had started to turn green too... Artie then slipped back into unconsicouness once more... Things were getting interesting...


	19. Eye to Eye

When you're Gone 

Ch 19

Fiona was worried as she got up the next morning. She was thinking about Artie. She walked into the living room. Her True Love was asleep in the alligator chair. "_He must've been up all night. I think he's blaming himself when it really wasn't his fault. I hope he's okay as well as Artie. If he doesn't recover… then Far, Far Away is screwed."_ She thought as she stroked his head gently. She looked at Artie and was shocked. He had ogre ears and his face had gone green too along with his neck. What was happening to him? She then started making breakfast for the family.

Later Shrek awoke to the smell of eggs frying. "Mmm… Fi's cooking something good." He said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He then looked at Artie. He was a little freaked but smiled. He could tell what the medicine was doing to Artie. He wondered if Fiona had seen. He then watched as Fiona put some plates on the table. "Morning honey." He said as he kissed her. She giggled at that. When she went back into the kitchen, he gave Artie some more of that freaky medicine. It may be changing him but it was doing it's job.

He watched as Artie moved a little but stopped. "How is he?" Lillian and Fiona asked him curiously. "He's getting a bit better." Shrek told them. He sighed happily as he finished his eggs and went outside. He had a mud bath but was thinking about what had happened yesterday. It still bothered him. "_I should've just walked with him. That way, he'd never have crashed and not hurt seriously. Now the kingdom's screwed and it's my… fault. I don't blame Mom or Fiona if they never want to speak to me again."_ He thought as the mud splashed over his entire body as he sank into the water. He felt relieved as the water engulfed him. Fiona then joined him. She knew her husband was worried at the moment. She knew it wasn't his fault that Artie had been hurt. "I know you're freaked but it wasn't your fault. It was just an accident. They happen. But I know you were there trying to help him. He's changing, isn't he?" she told him. His eyes were closed as they sat in the water together. "Yeah I guess he is. I got the medicine from Merlin. I thought it was the best thing to do. I hope he recovers. I don't want the kingdom to fall into disarray because of an accident befalling their King to be. Do… you still love me?" he said as he hugged her.

"Yes I do and always will. I know you were trying to do what was right and I'm proud of you for it." she reassured him. He smiled at that as he got out and got dressed. He walked back into the house followed by Fiona. She watched as he gave Artie more of that medicine. But after he'd swallowed it, his entire body glowed with a freaky glow. After it'd faded, Artie had transformed into an... ogre. "Wow. How do you think... he'll take it?" Lillian asked Fiona. "I don't know. He'll be freaked like when I became my night time form when I was a child. I hope he's not too freaked by this." she replied. They then heard Artie groan as he came around. Fiona was nervous as he looked at them calmly. "W-What's going on? How come I'm not at the castle? Everything hurts especially my back." he said weakly. Shrek watched as the teen looked at his hands. They were now huge and green like his. Artie looked scared at this. "Let me look in a mirror." he told them. He tried to walk but he couldn't walk. He was paralysed. Fiona watched as her husband carried in a hand mirror. "Just don't be scared when you see yourself." he told him. Artie then saw his ogre self and freaked. He looked like Shrek and Fiona but had nasty burns all over his face and one near his eye. There were some on his hands.

Artie was speechless at this. "No! H-How could this happen to me? I can't rule the kingdom looking like this! It's simply not done." he ranted worriedly to them. Shrek felt sorry for the kid as he held the bottle in one of his hands. "It was this medicine that changed ya. You and I were in a carriage accident and it exploded and you... were badly burned and comatose. I went to Merlin and he gave me this stuff to help ya but I guess he made a mistake." he explained calmly. Tears were running down the kid's cheeks at this. Fiona watched as he fell asleep. She knew how he was feeling about what had happened. She then read the label on the bottle. It read Ogre Elixir- useful for those in accidents. She saw that there was no way to reverse the elixir's effects. Later Artie woke up sad. She knelt beside him. There was worry in his eyes. "I know what it's like to be changed into something like this but it's not all bad." she said as she gestured to herself.

"What do you mean it's not that bad? I'm supposed to be a ruler, not some ogre. If I go back to the kingdom, they're all going to hate me like what they do to your husband. I can't go back, can I to being human?" he told her quietly. She sighed at his words. "I know. Shrek does get harassed by others for being this but he had no say in the matter. He didn't ask to be an ogre. It just happened. Like with me. But you're going to be a powerful being in the kingdom, the King. You can make it so that guys like us don't feel like you're feeling at the moment. It wasn't Shrek's fault this happened. He went to see Merlin after the accident and he gave him the stuff he thought would help but it did even though you changed. He loves you the same way he loves Maya, Bex, Skye and me. You guys seem to understand each other in a way I can't." she explained calmly.

He laughed at that. "Yeah I guess that's true. He did help me find my strength to want to be ruler of a kingdom. He was the only one who believed in me when everyone else in Worchester Academy was making fun of me and calling me a loser." he replied. He then gritted his teeth as he felt his back ache... "Will I ever walk again?" he asked himself as Fiona massaged his back. The pain then stopped. Shrek smiled as he was overhearing their conversation... Maybe the kid would pull through and Far, Far Away would finally have a king... But somebody showed up once more...


	20. Bad Relatives

When you're Gone 

Ch 20

It was Harold. He was smiling as he looked at his son in law. "Hey Dad. What're you doing here?" Shrek asked him. "I just dropped in to see how you were doing, that's all. I see Artie joined you here." He said to him. "Yeah I know. It was an accident but it was my fault. I should've not let him drive the carriage, that way he wouldn't be seriously hurt." He explained. Harold nodded as he looked at Artie in his new ogre form. The teen was shocked to see him there. "D-Don't hurt me!" he yelled in fear. Harold shook his head at that.

"I won't hurt you. We're family aren't we?" he reassured him calmly. "Yeah I guess. But why're you always showing up? I thought you… were dead." Artie replied.

"Yes I am but I look after the family from the spirit world because… after I left, the family got out of shape. But now it seems things are beginning to go back to normal." Harold explained to him. He nodded as the king faded. "Where did he go?" he said to Shrek. "He went back to the spirit world. He can't stay all the time." Shrek told him. He nodded. But he saw a letter for him and read it. The colour drained out of his face as he finished reading it. Fiona had seen this and wondered what was wrong. "It's something really bad." He just said to her. She saw the look of fear in his eyes and decided to leave him alone. "What's up? You can tell me, can't you?" Artie asked him curiously. _"I can tell Artie can't I? He does understand what's it like to have a bad father who hates ya for who you are and tries to make you like him. I need to gather up courage to tell Fiona this. But I've got to hide Skye from my Dad in case he tries that attempting to eat his grand son thing like with me."_ He thought as he sighed quietly.

"Okay, I'll level with you. You know when I told ya about my Dad?" he began nervously. "Yes what about that?" the teen asked him. "I just found out… that he's coming here for a visit and I'm… afraid, okay? I still haven't forgiven him for what he did years ago to me." He told him. Artie knew how he was feeling. "Yeah. If my Dad showed up again just to see me, I'd be upset too. Have you told Fiona yet?" he said to him. "No not yet. I want to but she wouldn't understand. She'll think he's brilliant but he's not." Shrek told him.

Artie nodded as Fiona came back in. She'd been bathing Skye and was trying to put him to bed but he kept reaching out for his father. "Honey I need to tell you something. My father's coming for a visit, to see the family but mainly you." He explained. "That's great! Can you put Skye to bed for me? He seems to be a handful tonight." She said as she kissed him. He smiled as he watched her leave the room. Artie watched as his ogre amigo sat in his favourite alligator recliner with Skye in his arms. He heard the little guy giggle as his father tickled him. He saw a look of sadness on the teen's face. "What's wrong?" Shrek asked him worriedly.

"It's just seeing you with your baby makes me remember when I was that age and my father cared about me. Before Worchester ever sprung into his mind, that's all. He's cute." He told him quietly. He nodded. "Yeah he is but he'll have troubles of his own when he's older." He told him. "What do you mean?" Artie asked. "He can't see or walk. He's a… disabled one which means he'll feel the way you did at that academy with everybody picking on ya. But I'd never abandon him because of this." He explained. Artie smiled at that sadly… "Wow. I'm sorry he's like that. He deserves better than that." he said to him as he held Skye in his arms. Shrek laughed as his son tugged on one of Artie's ogre ears. Shrek then took Skye back and rocked him gently in his arms. He smiled as his babe fell asleep. Fiona smiled at him as she took Skye from him gently and went into the bed room. But somebody was watching outside the swamp. It was Shrek's father.

Lightning and rain struck the sky as he knocked on the door. Fiona opened it. He was stunned by the ogress answering the door. "Hello. Sorry to bother ya but does anyone by the name of Shrek live here?" he said quietly. Fiona smiled at this. "Yes he does. Come in." she said kindly to him. He followed her inside. He sat down at the table as Fiona made some tea. "Who're you babe? Are you my son's servant or something?" he said to her. Fiona bit back the urge to retort at that. "No I'm his wife." she said as she set a cup of tea before him. Shrek groaned as he saw his father sitting at the table drinking tea. He got angry at the sight of his father's unkempt appearance especially his black side burns. "Hey son. H-How're ya? I see you're doing well for yourself ever since.." he said to him, his voice trailing off. "Since what Dad? When I was a babe and you thought I was an entree or some late night snack and bathed me in BBQ sauce and put me to bed with an apple in my mouth. Yeah that's really fatherly! Are you here because?" Shrek said to him, his temper flaring like a wild storm. "I came here to say I... I'm sorry for the mistakes I made with ya. I want to become part of the family. It's been pretty lonely... since Mom was slayed." he explained to him quietly. Fiona glared at him. "I thought your parents were dead. That's what you told me." she said to him.

"To me, they are. I never wanted you or the kids to know because they weren't like me and you guys would be embarrassed by them. Besides I never forgave them for trying to abandon me and trust me as a being. They hated me for being who I was so I left." he explained as he left the house to think over all this. He sighed as the rain hit his face and clothes... Artie watched him out there by himself and felt sorry.


	21. Losing Streak is Done

When you're Gone 

Ch 21

But his father was upset as he opened a burlap bag. Fiona then saw her husband walk in through the door. "What's going on?" he asked her. "I don't know. He just brought it out with him. He seems upset." She told him. He watched as his father pulled out something. It was his Mom. Seeing this shocked him. Rage flowed through his body. "What happened to her? Did you…?" Shrek said to him. "No son I… didn't eat her. You see, she wanted to be human so I tried casting a spell to do that being a sorceror but it didn't work out. I'm sorry. I felt lonely after that so I thought that… maybe I could be a part of this family." He told him.

"No dice! I won't let you wreck my family! I don't care if you've changed! You're still the same and I can't let you hurt my kids the same way you tried to with me!" he yelled. Artie watched as his amigo's father went for some fresh air. Fiona watched as her husband was touching his mother in law's body. It hurt him to see his Mom like this.

"Are you going to be okay?" she asked him quietly but he didn't answer. Artie watched as she left him alone. He felt sorry for his friend. He watched as Shrek sat on the floor in a ball.

"Oh man! That must hurt him having to see his Mom like that, cold and limp. I… feel sorry for him. Maybe there's something I can do but I don't know how. He seems sad but he's hiding the feelings inside. Fiona should help me with this dilemma." He thought as he watched his friend grieve in sadness.

He saw his friend's father outside and limped outside. He saw tears run down the guy's face. He understood that he was upset.

"Hey are you… okay?" he said gently to him. He looked up at Artie. "No I'm not! My son resents me for mistakes I made with him, I want to join the family but he won't let me. Plus my wife died because of me. Everything just… seems insane." He explained to him. Artie understood. "It doesn't matter what happened long ago. Maybe you can make up for what happened with him. Right now, he's upset about your wife, his mother. Besides he helped me with my problem of being a loser. If it wasn't for him, I… wouldn't be King." He told him calmly. He stared at him. "I should've know it was you Pendragon. Your father was the bane of my family's existence. I hope you're not like him, are you?" he told him. Artie was confused. He wondered if he was making that up. "But what if he's not? That would be bad for me because I'm friends with his son. I hope it's not true." Artie thought as he limped back inside. Things were getting more better than what it seemed. But Shrek glared at his father as he followed Artie back into the house. He then came over and sat down on the floor beside his son. He felt nervous. "Hey son... I know you're mad at me but I just want to talk to you. Please. Don't shut me out of your heart." he said quietly to him.

Artie was watching this with interest. It made him remember the first time he and Shrek had met and he didn't want to be King. "Maybe I should talk to him dude. We... sort of understand each other." he said to him. But as he began to leave the room, Shrek turned his head around to look at his father. "Fine. L... Let's talk, okay?" he said quietly. His father smiled at that warmly as he sat back down beside him. "I'm sorry about your Mom. I was only trying to help her but it seems I failed her like I did with ya. I was just afraid of being a father so much, I thought if I got rid of the babe, it would make things better but it didn't. It... only pushed you away from me. Don't worry. I won't hurt your kids. I... had therapy for that problem a long time ago. I got it from somebody called Merlin. But I need to ask ya something. Do you forgive me? For what've I done to you and your Mom." he told him. There was a moment of silence after that. Shrek then looked at his Dad for a moment. He then smiled. "Yeah I do... forgive ya but you'd better not be lying about what you said." he said to him. Fiona was watching silently as father and son hugged for the first time in twenty five years. Lillian approved this too.

Artie watched as they sat around the table eating and talking. about old times. Both father and son were drinking beer. For a while, it felt like the family was restored but if only had fate not intervened.


	22. 9 Crimes

When you're Gone 

Ch 22

The family watched as hunters dragged their new member of the family. "Dad!" Shrek yelled as he was about to leave. Fiona stopped him. She knew he was angry and that wouldn't help matters. "Honey calm down. It must be something he can handle on his own. He'll be back, you'll see." She said to him. Something in her words didn't sound right. But later that night in bed, he had a bad dream.

He was in the forest lying on the grass staring at the sky when dark clouds filled it and he heard screaming. The voice screaming was his father's. There was a message in the clouds. "Son help me before it's too late!" it read. Suddenly a blast of lightning hit him and he woke up. There was sweat running down his face at that. "_Whew! It was just a dream! But I've got to go find him just in case something bad is happening to him. I would hate it if something bad had happened to him and I could've saved him." _He thought as he got dressed and snuck out of the house. He wandered into the forest but he could smell his Dad and it was coming from Duloc. This worried him greatly as he ran into town following the scent of his father. He found him in the square

He was tied up to a pole. It shocked him to see his father beat up badly. His eyes were closed. Shrek then climbed up it and untied him. He swung down back to the ground safely with his father over his shoulder. He went back to the swamp as fast as he could. He kicked down the door and put his father in the alligator chair. He laid his head on a soft pillow and put a blanket around him. He wanted to go back to sleep but couldn't leave his father's side. He then watched later as the sun rose. Fiona was curious about what had happened to his father. She saw worry and fear on her husband's face as his father awoke.

"Hey son, thanks for… for saving me. But it's too late for me." He said to him. Shrek felt tears welling up in his eyes but held them back. "No! I won't let you go. We just became father and son once more and now you're leaving for good?" he told him with sadness in his voice. Fiona watched as he closed his eyes forever. She watched as her husband hugged him. Tears were running loose down his face but he didn't notice. "I'd better leave you alone. I know you loved him." She said to him. He nodded sadly. "No don't go! I want ya to be with me. Never leave me, okay?" he told her. She understood as she kissed him. Lillian watched as her son in law sat down at the table miserable. She could understand how he was feeling. She'd felt like that when Harold had gone. "Please Dad look after him. He's a good guy like me. He just made some mistakes, that's all." She heard him whisper to himself. She looked at Fiona who nodded understandingly. "Honey, why don't you go to bed? You haven't slept and maybe it may help you." She said to him softly. He then got up and went into the bed room.

He then slipped on some pyjamas and got into bed. He sighed sadly as his head hit the pillow. "_Why did this happen? I can't believe he's gone. It seems so long since last night when we were drinking and having a good time. Now he's gone, everything hurts. It feels like I can't smile or laugh again because it's hurting me inside. It hurt when both Dad and Mai died but my father's death has hurt me the most now." _He thought as his eyes closed into sleep and silent tears hit the pillows but a red haired angel was watching over him and was determined to help him, no matter what it took. Lillian understood as she saw her son in law walk into the living room. "Good afternoon honey. Did... you sleep?" Fiona said to him. "Sort of. I feel a gaping void in my heart. It began when my Dad in law passed away, then increased when Mai died but now it's gotten bigger with my Dad passing away after we became family again. I don't feel like myself and in my dreams, I keep remembering the past." he told her. Dark rims were around his eyes. Both her and Lillian were worried by his words. Fiona then watched as he sat down at the table. Artie was on the couch. He felt really sorry for his friend and wanted to help.

"Will he be okay? It's just I've never seen him like this. I hope he won't do anything foolish." Artie said to Fiona. "I don't really know. He's never been this upset before. When my father passed away, he was sad because he and our eldest son Mai passed away but he got over it but this, I don't know. Thanks for wanting to help. We're going to need it." she told him calmly. She then saw her husband think silently to himself. He then walked off somewhere and was worried...

Thoughts and memories were running through Shrek's mind as he walked through the forest. He was looking for somewhere special, where he'd been before he found his swamp. He then came to a mountain near a beach and found what he was looking for. It was his parent's cave home where he'd been living until they disowned him and abandoned him. "The old stomping grounds. It hasn't changed in twenty five years." he thought as he entered it. To him , the place was still unkempt but full of memories. Later that night Fiona was worried. Her husband hadn't come back yet. "I'm sure he's fine. Maybe he's dealing with what happened to his father on his own. I'm sure he'll be back by dawn." Lillian reassured her calmly. "I hope so." she said as she went into the bedroom. She climbed into bed and her head hit the pillows. "Please be safe where ever you are honey." she said as she closed her eyes in sleep...


	23. In the End

When you're Gone 

Ch 23

Artie watched as Fiona woke up and walked into the living room where he was on the couch. He could tell she was worried about her husband. He hoped it would be okay. Meanwhile Shrek was lying on the sand of the beach near the cave that was his parent's home. He was lost in memories of the past. He then awoke to the sound of a sword hitting a rock.

"What's going on here?" he asked himself. He saw a man standing over him. The stranger was in armour and looked angry. He had no clue about this guy. "Where's my son freak?" he said as he kicked him in the stomach. "What are ya talking about? I don't know you or your son so just leave me alone! I'm trying to mourn for my father." He told him angrily. But he knew who this crazy man was when he showed him a photo of his son. It was Artie. Anger flowed through Shrek's body at this revelation. He then ran back to the swamp hoping to warn Artie before it was too late. "_I can't believe he's looking for Artie. This was the very same man who dumped him at Worchester and never was heard of since. I've got to get home quick so I can protect Artie. Then Fiona and I can take care of Artie's Dad together. But he'll freak about his son when he sees him because he's not the same."_ He thought as he came to the swamp and caught his breath. He opened the front door and walked into his house. Fiona was cooking eggs for breakfast. Lillian smiled when she saw him. "Fiona come here!" she said. Fiona then came into the room. When she saw her husband, she almost dropped the plate she was carrying and ran into his arms.

"Where were you? I was worried out of my mind all night. I'm just so glad you're home." She said as she hugged him. "I know. I'm sorry if I worried ya. I was out near my parent's cave just remembering. Where's Artie?" he told her as he kissed her. "He's on the couch. Why do you look worried like something bad is about to happen?" she answered. Shrek sat down beside the teen. "I need to tell you something. It's your father. He's looking for ya. He questioned me about where you were but I didn't tell him. Are you gonna be okay?" he said to him.

Artie looked shocked but angry. " I don't want to ever see him again! Besides he's only looking for me because I'm King and he wants to cash in. If he comes here, take care of him, okay? If you know what I mean." He told him. Shrek chuckled at that. "Sweet! I'm sorry your Dad's a jerk but at least you're nothing like him." he said to Artie. But then they heard a loud noise as Artie's Dad burst in through the door. "I knew it! You freaks had my son the whole time!" he yelled angrily as he unsheathed his sword. Artie was furious at this. "I'm here Dad. You don't care, do you? You only came because I'm King of Far, Far Away, isn't it? You never cared about me at all!" he yelled at him. His Dad was shocked to see his son as an ogre. "What sorcery have you done to him?" he asked angrily as he grabbed Fiona by the neck. Shrek was getting angry at this and was ready to take care of things, his way. "Leave them alone Dad. They had nothing to do with me being like this. I became this so that I wouldn't die. But since you hate my guts and want me gone, just kill me." Artie said angrily. He watched as his father let go of Fiona. His father unsheathed his sword once more and stuck it in Artie's leg. Everybody stared in horror as the teen sank to his knees in agony. "You monster!" Shrek yelled as he started kicking the guy's butt and threw him out of the swamp by kicking him into the sky.

He then went back inside. Artie was lying on the couch moaning in pain. "I can't believe he did that to his own son! But he had no honour to begin with unlike his son. Artie risked his life once more to save us and Fiona." he thought as he approached the couch. "Hey how're ya feeling?" he asked Artie. "Sore, very sore." he replied. The boy's eyes were full of sadness. Suddenly somebody appeared. It was Merlin. "What're you doing here?" Fiona asked him curiously. "I brought something to help Artie. I saw what happened. The boy's father is a total brute, no offence." he said. "None taken. Can you help him?" Shrek said to him. He and Fiona watched as he poured a potion on the leg the sword was stuck in. A glow of magic surrounded it and removed the sword. The leg was now bandaged up but it still really hurt. They watched as he vanished. "That's good to know that Artie won't die from this." Shrek said relieved. But he saw worry in the teen's eyes. "You okay?" he asked. "No it's just... my father. He finally shows up but gets mad at you guys cause you're my friends and acts like a brute." he told him. Shrek sighed at the kid's words.

"Yeah I know. But you showed something that he doesn't have." he said to him. "What's that?" Artie asked him. "Honour. You were willing to get slayed by your Dad just to save Fiona the same way I faked when Charming tried to hurt ya. Your Dad has none." he explained. "Yeah I know that. You actually were convincing. Why didn't you?" he told him. "Why didn't I what?" Shrek asked. "Why didn't you just take care of Charming once you were out of those shackles?" Artie said to him. "Because jerks like him always get a taste of their own evil any way. Besides I didn't want to damage my repuation as a hero." he told him. Artie understood and smiled...


	24. If I Could

When you're Gone

Ch 24

Artie watched as his friend laid down a sleeping bag on the floor beside the couch and laid down in it. "Why're you doing this for?" he asked him curiously. Shrek sighed at him. "I just want to get away from it all. Too many times I've been hurting. It's like ever since I was born, bad things have always happened to me like my…" he told him. "Like what? I'm curious to hear." Artie said to him. He looked around the room to make sure nobody was listening. "Like my Mom. She was a very gentle soul and powerful influence on me to do good in the world rather than what Dad wanted me to do." He began. "And that was?" Artie asked him. "He wanted me to go into the world and be destructive as possible but I didn't want that. He also started hitting my Mom and it hurt me to watch. After one too many, she ran away and it was just me and him.

Then he started taking it out on me by bathing in BBQ sauce or putting me to bed with an apple in my mouth. One time he tied me up and stuck me on an open spit trying to cook me but it didn't work because of my fire resistant skin. But high school didn't help matters better. The jocks teased me, the cheerleaders wouldn't even give me a glance and I was stuck playing role playing games with the geeks. That made my Dad so furious, he… abandoned me for good and afterwards he pretended he had no son. He never once said "I love you" or anything like that. I ran deep into the forest and started building my home, my sanctuary from the hatred of the world." He told him sadly. Artie could understand how he was feeling having seen father and son making amends with each other. "I'm sorry he treated you like that. It must hurt." He said as his eyes closed. But Shrek was still awake. But sleep soon overtook him.

He found himself in a kingdom full of peace and clouds, so many clouds. There were gates leading into the kingdom made of pearly gates. "Wow. This place feels nice. Wait a minute, this isn't what I think this is, is it?" he thought as a sign appeared. "Welcome to Heaven." It said. This shocked him but calmed him. A smile crossed his face. "I can't believe someone of my kind can get in here." He said as somebody appeared. It was his Mom. He touched her face gently. "Hey honey how're you?" she said to him calmly. "I… I'm fine. What am I doing here? Is this because of Dad or just a crazy dream?" he asked her worriedly. "It sort of is a dream but also a vision of what will soon happen. Your father made it here too." She told him. "But how?" he said. "He got in because he redempt himself when he apologized to you and you forgave him." She explained to him. Suddenly he began to wake up. "Don't worry honey, we'll be together again soon as a family." She said. He then woke up. But he was feeling sore. His head ached and he had a fever but was coughing. His joints and body felt sore as he walked but moaned quietly.

The room then spun around and he fainted. Artie woke up at that. He then knelt down beside him. "Are you okay? You don't look so good." he said to him. Shrek's skin had became ashy black and he was mumbling something. "He must be delirious. I'd better tell Fiona. She might be unhappy." he thought as he went into the bedroom. Fiona was awake and crying. "Fiona?" he said to her. "Yeah Artie what is it?" she said to him. "It's Shrek. You'd better take a look at him." he told her calmly. She then followed him into the living room where her husband was lying in the sleeping bag. She saw wqhat was wrong and was very worried. "No! This is what happened in my dream!" she said as she sat down beside the bag. "What do you mean like in your dream?" Artie said to her.

"I had this dream, a vision where my True Love got sick but he... died! Please don't let it come true! I can't imagine my life without him." she said as she broke down. Artie felt sorry for her. "I'm sure it'll be okay. He'll probably be with his parents in Heaven, right?" he said trying to calm her down. "Are you kidding Artie? I don't think they'd let him in there." she said to him miserably. He understood. as he watched her with her alilng husband. "Fi, don't kiss me. You might get it too and I don't want you sick like this. If I do... die, don't be sad about it. It's not your fault it happened. Don't hurt yourself." he said weakly to her. Tears hit his face at that. Somebody then appeared. It was Harold. He'd been watching what was going on and wanted to help. "Daddy?" Fiona said to him. "Yes honey it's me. Your husband has Black Root a very bad illness." he told her. "Will he die?" she asked him. "I don't know. But if he does, I'll make sure he's safe in the spirit world with those who have left that he holds dear. But you'll be in his heart even if it does happen and he'll never let you go, the same way I hold you, your mother and this family to my heart." he told her.

Shrek smiled at that sadly. "Thanks Dad for that. I... feel so sore. Maybe it is my time to leave." he said as he coughed loudly. Harold understood how he was feeling. He then closed his brown eyes into sleep's sweet embrace. But later he didn't wake up as Fiona tried shaking him awake. Artie saw the sadness and hurt written into her face. He could still feel his friend's heart beat. "He's still alive. He must be in a coma or something, that's all. He'll come around, you'll see." he said to her. Fiona nodded silently in reply. He then left the room. Harold was watching this from the spirit world. He knew that someone he loved was about to join him in the spirit world and he hoped it wasn't his son in law or the family would be crushed forever and nothing would heal his daughter's broken heart this time...


	25. Save me from Myself

When you're Gone 

Ch 25

Fiona was feeling odd as she got up and went into the living room. Her husband was still asleep and it hurt. She'd had a weird dream. She and Shrek were in the swamp but suddenly a black fog overcast them and her brave husband vanished. A creature then appeared with glowing red eyes and blackened eyes. It had blue lips and sharp finger nails. A drop of blood fell from her mouth revealing sharp fangs. This made her shudder as she woke up. But her brave knight was now in the spirit world and could never wake up. She felt sadness as she touched his face. It hurt her.

Harold could see how much this was hurting her. He came to see her. He could feel something stirring in his daughter's heart. It would bring something bad upon the family. "I'm sorry. I know how much you loved him. I'm sure he'll remember you in the spirit world. " he told her but she just hugged her one true love's body and felt that weird feeling. Harold then got nervous. He disappeared back to the spirit world. Fiona then felt her head ache and clutched it in her hands. "_You can help him you know. All you have to do is let me out Fiona, then I can make you feel so much better."_ A woman's voice said to her. "What do you mean? I… don't know who you are." Fiona told her. "_I'm a part of you. I've been inside you ever since you were born Fiona. Your father thinks you'll heal because your dear , precious husband left. He's wrong, so very wrong. It's just hurting you inside and out. Isn't it?_ " it told her quietly.

Suddenly Fiona felt pain throb as she began to change. Her eyes glowed with the red of fury and her skin became paler than ever. Her teeth became fangs, sharp enough to bite into flesh. After it was done, she felt different. "_How do you feel Fiona?" _she heard the voice ask her. "Better. I feel good." She told it. "_Excellent! Now we must go!" _it replied to her. "G…Go where?" Fiona asked curiously. "_To the darkness of the spirit world, that's all." _It explained. She perked up at this. She then looked at her shoulders and saw bat like wings sprout from them. She was amazed as she took off into the air and vanished through a portal.

But in the Cloudy Kingdom, Shrek was lost in thought of his home but more so of Fiona. He knew she would be feeling bad because of this but he'd told her not to worry. He then saw his mother approach him. "You're thinking about them, especially your wife, aren't you?" she said to him. He nodded quietly as she sat down beside him. "It must hurt having to leave her and the family behind but I'm sure you'll be together again here." She told him. He shook his head at that. "I don't know. I… feel that something's happening to her, something bad that's telling her to do wrong and I'm afraid. She means the world to me, you know." He said. "Yes honey I know." She replied.

But she saw tears run down his face at the thought of his wife being a force of evil. "_Please don't let what I'm thinking be true. I couldn't bear to see her doing wrong just to heal. But I hope.. I'm wrong."_ He thought as he stared into space. His mother then walked off. He then smiled at the memory of how his wife had helped save his skin from being slayed by Charming. "_Oh Fiona. If only you know how much I miss you. I wish you were here with me. That way my heart wouldn't hurt so much." _He thought as he closed his eyes… Suddenly he saw Fiona appear before him. His heart leaped with joy at this.

"I'm so glad you're here! I haven't felt the same since we were parted. Y... You look a little different. Did you lose weight?" he said to her as he kissed her. He winced as his tongue rubbed against her new fangs. "What happened to you?" he asked her worriedly. "What do you mean honey? I'm still me." she said to him. He looked in her eyes. They glowed red at him. This worried him deeply. She hissed as she came towards him. But she was hit by a club that his father was holding. "Get away from her son!" he said to him. "I can't! I've got to help her!" Shrek told him. His mother looked at him gravely. "She isn't the same any more." she told him. "What do you mean Mom? Of course she's still her." he said. "She's not honey. The Darkness is ontrolling her and changing her. " she explained to him. "Into what? Please Mom, I've got to know!" he told her. She sighed deeply before going on. "Into a fearsome queen of evil." she replied sadly. He watched as his father was fighting her but couldn't believe this was happening. He then ran into the fray. "Fiona stop! It's me your True Love. I know you're angry at me for leaving but it wasn't my fault. My Mom says something called the Darkness is controlling ya, turning you into a queen of unspeakable evil but I can't let ya. It would hurt me too much. I know you don't want to hurt me or my parents. I know it. Please get rid of the Darkness or it'll destroy everything we built." he told her bravely. A tear ran down her cheek. "What're you doing? Finish him!" the voice hissed at her. "No! I won't let you harm him! I... I want to be happy and heal. Too many times I've hurt because those I loved were taken away from me but now I can preserve them within me and there's nothing you can do about it!" she said.

Suddenly she changed back to normal. Shrek hugged her warmly. He was relieved to have the woman he cared about back with him. She then saw his parents approach her and was nervous. "Look I'm sorry if I hurt anyone or anything." she said to them. But they smiled warmly at her. "It's alright. We knew it wasn't your fault. But you managed to save yourself. You have something to decide. You can go back to the swamp and live the rest of your life... or you could stay here and be with your beloved forever." they told her. She kissed Shrek at that. Hehoped she'd choose what was right for her...


	26. Just let Go

When you're Gone 

Ch 26

Fiona sighed as she returned to the swamp with Shrek. She wanted to return to the realm of the living but not without her beloved so his parents had used powerful magic to revive him back to life. Maya, Bex and Lillian were waiting for them in the house. "Where were you guys? W…We were worried we'd never see you again." Maya told Fiona as she kissed her. "You wouldn't believe us if we told ya. Where's Skye?" Shrek told her. "He's asleep in your bed room." Lillian told him. She watched him as he went inside the bedroom. Skye was asleep in Artie's arms as he sat on the bed. He was happy to see his ogre friend but was confused. "I thought you'd went to the spirit world. What happened?" he said to him.

Shrek sighed as he looked at the teen. "It's a long story Art. I did go there but Fiona followed me and darkness controlled her so my parents and I had to stop her before destroying the spirit world.

But Fiona was given a choice after we saved her from darkness. Stay in the spirit world and be together again or return to this world without me. She wanted to return but not without me so my… parents used a powerful but risky spell to revive me." He explained to the boy. He understood. But somebody was watching the swamp. It was a teenage girl. She was a Gothic Pixie. She had a petite body and face with a sullen look on it. She had long flowing blue hair with black streaks running through it, golden green eyes, gothic dress. She had powerful, black wings with red markings on them. Her name was Mexaz and she was evil. She heard somebody approach her. It was Charming. "Who're you? The village idiot?" she said in a cold drawl.

"No! My name is Charming and I am…" he began but stopped as a sparkle of dark magic glinted in her eye. "You're that guy whose Mom was one of us but those ogres took care of her. I feel your pain. They took away your shot of being happy, truly happy, didn't they? It must hurt being a loser in a leotard." She told him coolly. "H…How did you know all that about me? You've never met me before." He said amazedly. "You fool! I entered your mind and saw your memories through a spell. I have magic but more powerful." She retorted to him coldly. "What're you?" he asked her. "Let's just say I'm a friend who wants to give you a chance at happiness." Mexaz told him smiling evilly. "What are you planning to do to them?" he asked curiously. "Oh you'll see. When it happens, they can't do anything about it!" she told him laughing. He felt something stir in his heart. Mexaz giggled wickedly as her eyes glowed with magic. She clicked her tender fingers. More Gothic Pixie teens appeared. They were her crew. Their dark wings fluttered with dark magic. "Soon they and other ogres will get what they deserve! We shall enchant those most purest of ogres Shrek by our magical dance and then use him against those he loves!" Mexaz said evilly. Charming smiled at her as he heard that. "What do you mean by enchanting him through your magical dance? I'm curious." He asked her. "You'll see. Soon we'll get what we wanted all those long years we had to wait." She simply told him. Suddenly he heard techno music pumping out and her crew began dancing to it. "That looks fun! Can I join in?" Charming said to her. "You don't want to unless you want to end up a servant." She explained as she gazed into his eyes. "_It's so easy to enchant mortals, especially vain ones like you brother. Mom never did tell you about me but now we're together once more. Shrek and his good hearted wife took care of Mom but this time, it's their turn! Maybe I should give you some magic. That way you'd be powerful like me and Mom."_ She thought as she bided her time. "Mexaz what do you want me to do?" Charming heard a male friend of hers ask. She smiled as she closed her eyes and thought for a second. _"Go to the swamp and see what Shrek and his pathetic family are doing. Entice them to come here of their own free will especially Shrek. Then once they get here, the party can begin." _She said telepathically. He nodded and took off into the night sky. Mexaz laughed at the fun she would have running her and her brother's enemies into the ground. Charming cleared his throat as Mexaz joined him. "So… where did you come from? Are you… single or are you in a relationship?" he said to her.

Mexaz laughed at that. "Yes I'm single. You can't help it, falling for me. It happens a lot to girls with magic like me. But would you really love me or just use me for my unique powers?" she explained to him. This question was making him sweat. "I… would love you endlessly the way my enemy loves Fiona." He answered. She smiled as she glowed with magic. Her wings then fluttered slightly as she came closer… and kissed him. Every part of him was throbbing with joy as he gave into her. "You're prefect. I think I've found my soul mate. There's only thing left." She whispered in a sultry tone.

Meanwhile Shrek was sitting in the alligator chair by the fire unaware he was being watched. The male pixie laughed as he took out some pan pipes and started playing. Shrek wondered what the noise was and went outside. Suddenly he heard the fluttering of wings as his body felt heavy and his eyes closed. "Perfect! Mexaz is going to love me for this!" he hissed as he vanished with his prey into the night… Fiona was worried as she woke up in bed and found her husband not by her side. Thoughts of the worst thing occuring to him were running through her mind. Artie wondered what was wrong. "It's Shrek. He's... not by my side in bed and I'm worried." she said to him. "Don't worry Fi. I'm sure he's fine. He must've went for a walk or something. He'll be back, you'll see." he reassured her. She nodded as she watched him fall asleep on the floor.

Shrek woke up finding himself tied, hanging upside down by magical vines. "What's going on here? I demand to know!" he said angrily. He then heard laughter as Mexaz's friends surrounded him. Mexaz then landed on the ground after flying over. "Don't worry ogre. You'll find out. Trust me, you'll find out. Everyone assume the positions!" she cackled. "What're ya on about kid?" Shrek asked but the Gothic Pixie teens weren't answering. Suddenly he heard techno music blasting as a a pixie boy scratched DJ decks. "Yes! Time to dance in the Pixie Circle!" Mexaz said delightedly as she and the others glowed with magic. They then began to dance. Shrek watched but was feeling weird. Something unseen was happening to him, something bad as his eyes closed and his heart beat faster in time to the music. "Yes that's it! Infuse him with our dark power!" Mexaz laughed as he glowed with a red magical aura... She watched as it was complete. She watched as he opened his eyes. His eyes were now red instead of brown and his body was bigger than usual but as the vines let go, he was floating in the air. He also had dark purple wings. Charming watched as he landed on the ground. "Good. Go home, back to your precious swamp." Mexaz told him.

"I don't get it. Why did you give me imense destructive power and tell me to go home to my dump?" he asked coldly. "So that you can turn those you love against you and then they'll one by one become mine too!" she explained. Charming watched as he took off into the night sky and laughed. "I can't believe your magic worked!" he said as he kissed her... Soon he would be victorious for once like it should be.


	27. Family in Danger

When you're Gone 

Ch 27

Fiona was worried as she saw her husband come in through the front door. He was looking different like some insane person. She could feel no warmth coming from her husband's heart and there was coldness in his eyes. _"What happened to you last night? Y…You don't seem yourself. I want to help but if I did, would you want it? Please return to the one I know and love, my brave green skinned knight who rescued me from myself. But now you're the one who needs saving." _She thought as she saw him sit down. Donkey came over to him. "Hey man, Good Morning! Where were you last night?" he asked him. "What's so good about another day of being a freak? As for last night, it's none of your business." He told Donkey. Fiona was worried by her husband's tone. "Shrek, what's gotten into you? Donkey was just being himself, a friend." She told him.

He snorted at that. "That may be right but I've got new friends who are so much better than this, friends who can help me be more than a loser." He retorted coolly. Lillian and Artie watched as he went outside. "What's up with him? I've never heard him act like that before." Artie said. There was hurt written on Fiona's face. "_Something has happened that has changed him into a jerk. He's never been that cold with Donkey before and I'm worried. Whoever these new friends are, they can't be good. They're hurting him badly. When he was talking to me, I saw nothingness in his eyes and that scared me. Please let him return to himself before it's too late." _Fiona mused mentally. Lillian saw many tiny, silent tears in her daughter's eyes. "Artie could you give us some space? Fiona and I need to talk." She told him. "Sure. I hope she feels better." He said as he and Donkey went outside. He was worried too. "What's up with Shrek? It's like he's acting like Charming. First he never came back last night, then shows up this morning and upsets Fiona. Maybe he's hiding something and we need to find out." He told Donkey. He agreed with the teen. But as he was flying through the clouds, Shrek's inner self was trying to break free of this evil that had taken over. "_Why're you doing this? Fiona and the others were worried about us because we never came home and then you went and hurt our best friend's feelings. I don't know what that Pixie crew did to us but we've got to break free of it. Everything we care about could go down the drain. How you cope with Fiona and the kids leaving us because of this? Fine! Don't listen but don't forget these Gothic Pixie guys are just using you, probably to make you hurt the family we started and cared so much about?"_ it told him but he shook it out of his head as he landed in the forest. Mist was hanging over it which was perfect. Charming was giggling as he began to change because of Mexaz's kiss and love for him. Shrek was staring at that as Mexaz was thinking with her eyes closed. "What do you want Mistress?" he asked her. Mexaz laughed at this. "I'm loving the sound of that, dude. I know what you should do next. You like having power right?" she said to him. "Yeah I do. It's amazing, feeling it rush through my body." Shrek replied. "You see it'll only last for a while and once it's gone, it won't come back unless…" she said to him. "Unless what?" he asked nervously.

"Unless you bring your family to me, I won't give you more power. You won't be able to fly once those wings disappear. A shame really." Mexaz told him. She watched as he took off into the sky. But his heart was angry. It wouldn't let him do this and was rebelling against him. He then felt weird as he fell from the sky and hit the ground hard. His inner self, the real him that was trapped by Mexaz's magic was relieved by this. "_Now I can talk to him, make him see sense. If he does this, it'll hurt him more than hunters attacking him. Listen to me! Mexaz doesn't care about us. She just wants to hurt us and the family. How would you feel if Fiona and the others get hurt because of this? Could you live with that?" _it said to him. He looked into his own brown eyes and saw some warmth in them. "I'm sorry. It's that dance thing they did. They did something to me and I'm worried." He heard himself say.

"_That's a start. Let's go back home and talk to them. Tell them you love them and you're sorry." _He told him. Shrek smiled as he landed near the swamp. The wings faded and the dark cloud over him vanished too. "What happened?" he asked. "_That dark magic is gone." _His heart told him. "But how?" he whispered. "_You were fighting that dark spell Mexaz cast on you the whole time with some help from me. When your heart warmed up again, it destroyed the magic completely. What're you going to do now?"_ it explained as he opened the door and went inside the house. Fiona saw him and fell silent. He sighed as he opened his mouth. "Honey. I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to shut you up. I wasn't myself today. Magic controlled me and made me do it." He told her. She kissed him. "I knew something happened last night to you. I knew you could never hurt us or shut us out." She said. He smiled at that. Artie wondered what had made their friend act so cold earlier. "Last night I was in the forest and there were these Goth kids who were pixies. They did something called a Pixie Circle that changed me to a cold, uncaring guy which I'm normally not." He explained to him. "Charming must've told them to do it to get to us. I'm glad you're back to normal." He told him.

But Mexaz was outside. She then flew in through the window. "Who's that?" Fiona asked curiously. "That's one of the Pixie kids! Get out of here now!" Shrek answered. Mexaz laughed at that evilly. "No dice! Soon your family will be mine!" she said as she and other Gothic Pixies showed up. Shrek was nervous. Fiona then watched as they started to dance in the Pixie Circle. She and the others felt weird as Dark magic overtook them and changed them. Shrek sighed sadly as he got out of there safely.

He hoped there was a way to save them… He then saw Harold appear. "Hey Dad what's up?" he asked sadly. "What's up son? I know something bad happened to the family because of those Gothic Pixie kids. I know they won't do wrong or that their inner selves will break them out of Megaz's spell. I hope. It's up to you to help them." he told him. He smiled sadly at that. He hoped he could do it. He didn't want to lose the ones he cared about..

Charming was watching this. He had magic now that being in love with Megaz had changed him. He was unaware that she was his sister but his mother had hidden her from him. "I can't wait to take care of him with my new power! He'll beg to put him out of his misery! I wish Mom could see this." he said as he kissed Megaz tenderly.


	28. Unable to save them all

When you're Gone 

Ch 28

Shrek was nervous as he went into the forest. He knew that Mexaz had taken over those he'd loved and infused them with darkness. He hoped that he could save them especially Fiona. He then saw Harold appear to him again. "_Hello son you seem very worried about something. Is there anything I can do?" _he said to him. "I don't think you can unless you can reverse a spell cast by a Gothic Pixie." He replied to his father in law. There was a dark look in Harold's eyes at that. "_I'm afraid I can't. But a Gothic Pixie's heart is full of darkness." _He told him.

"What do you mean Dad about that?" Shrek asked him nervously. "_A Gothic Pixies heart hasn't something all human and magical beings have in their hearts which is Love. I can't break the spell but maybe you can by restoring their love that Mexaz has stolen from them. I know you can do this."_ Harold said as he faded once more. Suddenly he heard the flapping of wings as Gothic Pixies landed on the ground. It was Mexaz with Artie, Fiona and Charming. They'd kept Donkey in a cage even though he'd been transformed by Mexaz's dark magic. Charming laughed at the shock in his enemy's eyes. "Hello. I knew you'd come to save them. But they're not the same as they once were. A little incantation took care of that." Mexaz cackled as she saw Shrek come near Fiona but she punched him in the face. It left a bruise. "It's okay guys. I know you're not doing this. It's Mexaz's dark magic that's making you do this but let me help you. I love you guys. Without you, I'd be nothing." He said as Artie and Fiona attacked him by using magic to make vines attack him. Suddenly he saw Artie glow. "No! I won't hurt him anymore!" he said as he fell to the ground. He then unsheathed his sword and cut through the vines. "Thanks Artie. It's good to have ya back." Shrek said as he got to his feet. "You little brat! Time to get what you deserve!" Fiona said to Artie as she shot a blast of magical energy at him but Shrek took it for him. Artie watched in horror as his friend hit the ground. "Are you okay?" Artie asked him. "I…I'll be okay. You've got to do something for me." He told him. "What is it?" Artie asked. "You know that cage beside Charming? Grab it and tie up Puss, then come to the swamp." Shrek told him. "What're you planning?" he asked as he pushed Puss into the cage with Donkey but helped Shrek to walk back to the swamp using his weight against him. "You'll see. Harold said something to me that might help break the spell on them." He told him as they got to the swamp and went inside the house.

Artie watched as his friend tried to walk but fell onto the floor. He was in agony because of his chest. Artie then helped him into the alligator chair. He then watched as his friend took off his shirt so he could examine his chest. He stared in shock as he saw a huge burn surrounding the chest and was blistering. "I'm so sorry." He told him. "For what?" Shrek asked. "For trying to hurt you in the forest." He told him. "It's okay Artie. You couldn't help yourself. You were under Mexaz's spell like Donkey and Puss are." He said gritting his teeth. Artie watched as he approached the cage. Puss hissed angrily at him. "Let me out of here or prepare to die senor!" he yelled as Donkey tried to kick the cage door open. "Guys this isn't you. You're being influenced by dark magic. We're amigos, remember?" Shrek told them.

Artie then saw Puss glow and became his old self again but Donkey was having a hard time. Artie then came in with something. It was parfaits. Donkey's mouth drooled at the sight of them and glowed too. Shrek opened the door and let them out. "Thanks senor for not giving up on us. " Puss said to him as he watched Donkey eat. "You're welcome. I knew that Harold's advice was good." He told him. "You mean the Frog King gave you advice?" Puss asked curiously. "Yeah he did. Sometimes he comes here from the spirit world and we talk about things and give me advice. That's how I was able to save you guys from Mexaz's spell. But now I have to do it to Fiona but I'll go alone." He explained. Artie looked worried at this. "Are you sure you can even save her?" he asked him worriedly. "I don't care! I have to try. Besides I'm not giving up on the one who makes my life so wonderful. If Gwen was in a situation like this, you'd do anything to have her back wouldn't ya?" he told him. "You've got a point. Just be careful. We don't wanna lose you." He said quietly. They watched as he left.

Shrek felt worry and pain flow through his body. He then saw somebody land on the ground and gasped. It was Fiona. She was wearing a black short skirt with a black halter top. Her eyes had became black and her lips were blue. Her wings were black and purple. "Fiona I love you. You've gotta break free of Mexaz's evil spell!" he said to her but she cackled. "I'm sorry honey but I don't love you and I don't want to go back to being a weakling when I can have this immense power running through my body!" she told him coldly. She then grabbed him by the neck and took off into the air. She laughed as she drained him of all energy and dropped him into a thorn patch. "Oops!" she cackled evilly as she used magic to freeze his emtire body. "You're such a weakling using Love to revive me when it's already gone! I'll never be the Fiona you love again so get used to it!" she said as the ice froze over his face trapping him. His body was cold and bleeding from the thorns but his heart was hurting more than his wounds. But somebody was watching. He had a black suit of armour on and a golden heart symbol on his helmet. He also wore a long flowing cape and carried a sword. "Don't worry. I'll unthaw you." he said as he used magic to conjure flames underneath Shrek's frozen state...

"W...Who're you? I've never seen you before." Shrek told him after he'd been unthawed. "My name is the Ogarian Knight and I'm here to help you get your wife Fiona back from that wench Mexaz." he told him. "Good." he told him as he went back to the swamp. Fiona's cold words echoed in his head as he entered the house. Artie then watched as he collasped onto the floor out cold. This worried him and Donkey and Puss greatly...


	29. Mean Girls

When you're Gone 

Ch 29

Artie watched as Puss wrapped their ogre friend in blankets. He looked at the bandaging over his friend's body as he shivered under the warmth of the blankets. "Le Siento senor. Did I hurt him?" Puss asked softly. "No I don't think so. He's just sore seeing as Fiona let him fall into sharp thorns and hurt his heart." The Ogarian Knight told him. Artie was nervous around this guy because he didn't know if he and the others could trust him or not. "Don't worry. I just want to help your friend." He told him calmly.

"But why?" he asked him calmly. He watched as the knight lifted off his helmet to reveal he was an ogre himself. "He did so much for others like me helping mortals and others know that some of us aren't as evil as we seem. I come from a realm called Aria when I saw he was in pain. Fiona isn't the same person that he loves and cared for." He explained quietly. "What do you mean senor?" Puss asked him worriedly. "The spell Mexaz put on her changed her and froze her heart. I don't know if we could save her." He said as they saw Shrek squirm in pain. Artie then knelt beside him. "I think he's hurting from more than just thorns. It's his heart." He told them. The others agreed. He watched as they went to cook dinner. Lillian then came back. She'd been out doing some things. She was shocked by seeing her son in law on the floor in a body cast and squirming in pain. She also didn't see her daughter. "What's going on?" she asked Artie.

"It's not very good. Fiona… is on the Dark side and it looks like she mightn't be coming back. We were saved by Shrek. Later he went to try to save Fiona but it didn't turn out as good. He ended up bruised and hurt but with emotional pain. We're worried. Also this freaky guy called the Ogarian Knight shows up claiming he wants to help but I'm not so sure." He explained to her. She felt sorry for her son in law. But in the spirit world Harold had seen this and needed to help his son in law. He then appeared in the living room of his son in law's house. He then came near his son in law's body. "_I feel great hurt both physical and spiritual. But his heart is breaking. I've got to wake him and try to help him."_ He thought but he watched as he came around. "Dad what're you doing here?" Shrek said, his voice tinged with hurt and sadness. "_I see you freed Artie and the others from the Gothic Pixie's spell but what happened to Fiona?" _Harold told him. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?" he answered. _" That's odd. His eyes are filled with silent tears. But maybe that is because… No! That could never happen to her. She'd never become fully evil, would she?"_ he thought. "You're right about what you're thinking Dad. She's not the one we love. S…She betrayed us. I don't feel like talking or thinking about her. I tried to get out of here because this place… it's filled with too many memories of us." Shrek said. Harold understood how his son was feeling. "Maybe it's not too late to help her son. Maybe there's some Love in her, I hope." he told him.

But suddenly he heard laughter as somebody entered the house. It was Fiona. She was wearing a purple dress. "Hello honey. Miss me?" she said coldly as she glowed and transformed into her Gothic Pixie clothes and her wings sprouted out of her back. "Get out of here before she hurts you!" he said to Artie and the others as they came to see what was going on. "What about you senor?" Puss asked him. "Don't worry about me. Just go!" he said quietly. Harold then looked into his daughter's heart. It was filled with darkness. "What I thought was true. She has gone to the Dark side" he said. Fiona then opened her arms wide and icicles shot out like darts. Harold watched shocked as they hurt him in the side. "Fiona stop. I know this isn't you. Don't you remember love?" Shrek said weakly as he tried to get to his feet but it hurt. Fiona cackled hard at that. "Nice try honey but I was tired of being good and having Love. It stopped me from being all that I can be. Mexaz helped me with that by giving me immense power. Are you loving it?" she told him as she slapped him in the face.

"No I'm not. Have you destroyed yourself by this? By becoming this... you've become just as bad as hunters that attack us constantly. I love ya so much and if I have to, I will destroy you so that the Fiona I love can return!" he told her angrily. "Too bad. Besides I'm having too much fun doing this." she said as she vanished in a haze of magical energy. Harold then watched as his son in law fell into Lillian's arms. "She hurt him again, didn't she?" Artie asked. "Yes I'm afraid. I think this is more than he can handle." she told him. Fiona smiled as she arrived back in the forest. Charming smiled as Mexaz kissed him. "I've something to tell you but it might hurt you." she said to him. "Go ahead muffin cake." Charming said to her. "I'm actually your sister. You see Mom was sort of having you so she chose you to help her get the kingdom so she sent me away. Ever since then I've been growing my powers and waiting for the day when we would meet again. I hope you're not upset." she explained. Charming looked hurt and miserable. "I just want to be alone okay?" he said as he walked off. Fiona then watched as Mexaz joined her.

"How did it go?" she asked her. "It was great. He's totally weak. Soon you'll be rid of him." Fiona reported. "Good. Do you even feel pity for this, like having fun by hurting him?" she asked her. "Yeah of course. You told me to." she said coldly. But Charming's sadness was plaguing her black heart and making her feel a little guilt. "I'll be back. I have to see if he's okay." Mexaz told her as she went to find her brother. She had never felt guilt or pity or any other emotions except for anger. But when Charming showed up, she had began to feel Love until she'd revealed her secret. Fiona's goodness and Love were inside Mexaz and maybe that was causing chaos but she didn't want to let it go because she had her most powerful servant and didn't want to give it up. Fiona was looking at the sky when a cloud turned into an image of her husband's face. "Why am I thinking of him for? He has no lust for power like I have or anything to offer." she thought but then she heard laughter in her head which made her angry. She then burned a tree with her powers..

Harold had been watching that. "Maybe it's not too late. I've got to tell Shrek that he may have a chance to save Fiona after all." he said as he went to his son in law's swamp. His son in law was in bed asleep. There were red rims around his eyes like he'd been crying. These last few days were hurting him more than they'd ever know and sooner or later he'd snap... .


	30. You Found Me

When you're Gone 

Ch 30

Artie watched as his Uncle Harold appeared. "What's up?" he asked him. "_I'm worried about Shrek. He hasn't been the same since Fiona… was turned into a Gothic Pixie. Maybe you can do something about it."_ Harold told him. He then heard the music as Mexgaz and her friends were doing the Pixie dance. Harold then vanished as Artie walked into the forest. Fiona cackled as she used her magic to cause chaos.

"Don't worry Fiona. I'm going to free you." He whispered but Charming caught him. "Meghaz look. Artie has come to free Fiona but it'll never happen." He told his pixie sister. Artie then saw Fiona look at him. "Why do you want to help me?" she asked darkly. "Because we're family. Remember? I know you're in there somewhere. Fight this dark spell and come back to the swamp with me." He answered. He watched as she closed her eyes. "_Yes we can do this Fiona. Those pixies don't care about anybody. It's just like what happened to Shrek when he fell under this very sprll."_ Her inner self told her. Artie watched as she glowed. When it vanished, she opened her eyes. Artie gasped in awe. She had beautiful wings that glittered in the moon light and was wearing a black halter top and mini skirt. "Why're you likr that/?" he asked her. Megaz gasped in terror. "Brother watch out. Fiona has Ogreix, a rare form of magic more powerul than mine." she told him. Artie watched as Fiona grabbed him and flew off into the night. She landed at the swamp. Artie opened the door and they walked in quietly.

Shrek was nervous as he saw Fiona but his fear faded when she kissed him. " You're back to normal. But how dud you break free?" he asked her. "It was Artie. He saved me by reminding me of everything I cared about. I'm... sorry about hurting you, I was under the strongesr pixie magic." she told him. He understood. He was just relieved have his Fiona back. He was impressed by her Ogreix form. "How did you get like this? You look hot!" he asked her. "I don't know. It sort of happened when I was freed from the Pixie Dance. I like it too," she told him. He watched as magic surrounded her and she became her normal self.

"What happened to you?" Artie asked her. "I don't know. I heard Meghaz say it was called Ogreix, a form of magic more powerful than hers. We could destroy her." Fiona told him. He watched as she transformed back into her Ogreix form with wings and took off into the night sky. She needed time to think as she flew over many forests and kingdoms until she hovered over Far, Far Away. She hadn't been there because it hurt her very much to land there. It made her think too much of her father's death and she couldn't afford to be sad again. But the kingdom bore a sadness that seemed to haunt her heart. She then flew to the castle. Her mother the former Queen Lillian was in her room lying there in the dark sadly. After Harold had died, she gotten rid of most of his things. But when Fiona stepped in through the window, she saw nany wine bottles by her mother's bedside table. "Mom are you okay?" she asked but Lillian didn't answer her. This made her worry as she listened for a heart beat but it was faint.

"Please Mom don't die! Don't leave me too." she said quietly as a tear hit Lillian's face. The elder woman opened her eyes. "I'm sorry I failed you. Just leave me here to meet my fate like your father." she replied softly. Magic coursed through Fiona's veins and shot out of her gloved hands. It surrounded Lillian. "Please let this work. It has to or I'll lose somebody else I care about deeply since the day I was born." she thought strongly as the magic faded. Lillian felt stronger and more alive. "Thank you honey. What was that you used to save me?" she told Fiona. "It was my Ogreix. It's a form of magic powerful than any wizard's put together." Fiona replied. She noticed that her mother looked serious. "Fiona your father and I... We kept another secret from you." she said. "What do you mean?" Fiona asked confused. "You have a sister. Her name is Ariaelle." Lillian answered quietly. Fiona looked shocked at this. "Why didn't you tell me about this long ago?" she asked upset.

"Let me explain honey. After your father and I got married, we gave birth to a child. But you know the way you were born to be human by day but ogre by night? Well Ariaelle was born a full ogre. Disgusted more by what the people of the kingdom would think of the babe, he sent it to an orphanage not far from here. I wanted to keep the child but your father felt he had no choice. Later on in the year, we gave birth to you but your father decided to pretend Ariaelle never existed but I know you'd want to meet her and maybe take her in to your family. O know it's a big decision but think about it for my sake." she explained. Fiona nodded and left. The next morning she headed for the orphanage, Ariaelle was now ten years old with black hair, dark green skin, slender bodied and had a fiery personality like Fiona. She was nervous when Fiona explained everything but when she looked into Fiona's eyes and saw they were the same as hers, she knew it was true. Fiona smiled as she hugged her.

She was nervous as she got back to the swamp with Ariaelle. "This is your house? Cool!" Ariaelle said as they went inside but the girl noticed something was wrong. "It's... just don't know how to explain you to Shrek my husband but I'm sure he'll understand once I tell him." Fiona said . As soon as they got inside Fiona went looking for Shrek. He was cooking food on his BBQ grill with Artie's help. Ariaelle watched as Puss came over to her. "Hola senorita. Who're you? I've never seen you before." he told her. Ariaelle laughed at that. "Hi Puss I'm Ariaelle and I'm Fiona's younger sister." she said to him with mischief in her blue eyes. Puss was shocked. "How come we've never heard of you before? Were you locked up somewhere?" he asked the girl. She giggled at that. "No I gaven't been locked in a tower like Fiona but I've... been in care for a long time. My Daddy... didn't want me but my Mom did but he was too ashamed to keep me because I was born a full ogre unlike Fiona. I never heard from him again but I got a lot of letters from my Mom. She told me everything about you guys and about Fiona and her husband. He seems really nice from what her letters told me. Only I'm worried in case my father comes to hurt me." she explained sadly. Hw couldn't believe that Harold had been so cruel as to send his child away and pretend she hadn't been born. He wondered what she meant by being in care. He had a feeling she had been stuck in an orphange with nobody to love her, make her feel safe and nobody to be her friends. He had another feeling that the other kids avoided and made fun of her because she was an ogre.

That made him seriously angry. He felt a need to protect Ariaelle. "I understand what it's like to be in so called care. My parents had too many kids to feed so I was sent away to an orphange. Nobody there loved me or wanted to be friends with me. I wanted so much to be a vigilante then and fight for good so I left but let's just say money made my vision pear shaped but Shrek saved me from all that the day we met. I can be your friend and so can the burro when he's not with his family." he told her softly in his Spanish accent.


	31. Reunited At Last

When You're Gone 

Ch 31

Charming smiled as he watched Ariaelle become part of Fiona's family. He could tell that this kid had Ogreix within her but needed yo get confidence in her whole being before using it. "If I can get her to trust me, then I could get her to help me take care of her sisrwe and family." He told himself.

Ariaelle was with Puss in the swamp alone because Shrek and Fiona had gone out for the night. He then saw Donkey burst through the door followed by his Dronkeys. "Hey Puss what's going on? Who's the ogre kid?" he said to him. "This is Ariaelle. She's Fiona's sister but she was in an orphanage for the last ten years. Fiona brought her here earlier." He told him. He watched as the Dronkeys swarmed around Ariaelle. "Wow! You guys are cute!" she told him. Puss then saw Charming burst in through the door.

"Give Fiona's sister to me now!" he demanded as he brandished his sword. "Nice try senor but put it away before you hurt yourself." Puss told him as he defended Ariaelle. "_I won't let him take you Ariaelle, I promise. Charming wants to bring you [ain and hurt just like those jerks at the orphanage."_ He thought as Charming ran off screaming like a girl.

Ariaelle laughed as Puss resheathed his sword. "Is he always like that?" she asked him quietly. "Yes he does. Don't worry I won't let him hurt you." Puss answered softly. "You mean Charming wanted to hurt me?" Ariaelle said to him. Donkey nodded as Skye toddled over to him. She felt angry as she went to her room. Iy used to be Maya's but she'd gone to college. Fiona then came into her room as soon as she and Shrek got home. Shrek had heard what Charming had tried to do to Ariaelle. He had trouble bonding with Ariaelle because he didn't know much about her. "Maybe you should ask Fiona about this since they are sisters." Donkey told him.

He nodded as Fiona came out of Ariarlle's room. "How is she?" he asked her. "She's a little freaked out about Charming trying to make her come with him. I think she needs help coming out of her shell." she replied softly. He knew what that was like being too shy and guarded to let anybody see the real her. Puss then decided to go see her. Maybe he could help her a little. He was the only one she trusted right now. He then walked into her room softly. She was lying om her bed writing a story because she had a great imagination and a nice inner self but was too afraid to show anybody in case they made fun of her. "Hey Ariaelle how're you feeling? I know you feel nervous about being in a family but it'll be okay. Trust me. I used to enjoy being part of one. Don't worry. I won't let jerks like Charming hurt you. Fiona and Shrek are gonna protect you too like parents should. I know you and Fiona have no problems bonding but you're having trouble with Shrek." he reassured her gently. "I know. I've been trying but it's hard, okay? I don't know him as well as Fiona. I get really nervous around new people." she replied quietly.

She then smiled as she fell asleep. She would try to bond with Shrek in the morning but she hoped it would work. Puss then lay by the fire and fell asleep. He knew that Ariaelle needed friends the way he did when he'd ran awat from the care he was placed in,. Shrek then came into Ariaelle's room. He smiled as he watched her sleep. He wondered why Harold and Lillian hadn't kept Ariaelle instead of send her away. He then sat on the bed and fell asleep. Fiona watched this quietly. She knew how hard it was for Ariaele to adjust to being part of a family but she knew she'd adjust fine. She just needed time. She never knew she'd even had a sister.

But that was because Harold had been ashamed to keep her. That part made her angry. She'd been born half human, half ogre but her father had kept her but had sent her to the Dragon's Keep when she was a teenager. She knew her father sort of loved her even though he didn't show it. She wondered if he could have kept her, then they would have been a full family. A tear welled in her eyes as she fell asleep in bed that night. Lillian then went to the swamp ri see her long lost daughter and her family. She knew she couldn't turn back the clock and stop Harold from giving Ariaelle away but she could still be a good mother.

Fiona woke up to hear somebody knock quietly om the door and answered it. She was surprised but happy to see her Mom. Lillian then followed her into the house as she closed the door softly. Fiona poured her a cup of tea. Ariaelle then walked into the room. "Who're you?" she asked Lillian. "I'm ... your mother. I'm sorry Harold had you sent away but I know he's sorry too where ever he is. I want to ne a part of your life again." Lillian told the girl. Fiona saw sadness in Ariaelle's eyes as she left the room. Ariaelle xlosed the door to her room softly. Shrek woke up to her sobbing. "Are you okay?" he asked her quietly. "No I'm not. Lillian showed up and she's my Mom but I'm not sure if I can trust her." she told him sadly. "I know but she does care about you the way Fiona and I do. I know what it's like to have trouble coming out of your shell. I was the same at your age." he told her gently. "I see. Let me guess people were mean to you because you were different." she asked. He nodded.

"I guess I can try to trust Lillian. She is my birth mother and she took good care of Fiona." she said to him. "That's the spirit! I'm sire she didn't mean to abandon you in an orphanage and sent you letters the last ten years." he replied happily. He watched as she walked out of her room and into the kitchen. "Um... Lillian. I want you to be my Mom again. Is that okay?" she told Lillian. "Of course honey. It must've taken you some serious thought to decide that. I know you missed us and resent your father for abandoning you but he didn't mean to. He had a lot of pressure on him from the kingdom but actually he had something he was ashamed of that he didn't want the kingdom to know." ahe explained. "What do you mean?" Ariaelle asked her. "He was actually a frog but he had a Fairy Godmother put a spell on him to make him look human but I found out." Lillian answered quietly.

Ariaelle smirked as she ate with them, happy to be with her new family and back with her Mom...


	32. I need to Know

When You're Gone 

I need to know these answers

I need to find my way

Seek my tomorrow, learn my yesterday

I need to take these chabges

Let all these feelings show

I need to knoe.

- I need to Know sung by Cassie Faddens

Ch 32

Ariaelle then followed Lillian outside. She wondered what she wanted to talk to her about. "What's wrong?" she asked her. "I'm sorry about you being in the orphanage all these years. Your father and I love you but your father isn't good with other people's opinions so that's why he did it. But he died a while ago. Fiona was pretty sad about it for a while but got ober it. We can be family even though we've been estranged for ten whole years. I love you." She said to her. Ariaelle nodded sadly as they went back inside.

"_I'm so confused about this. I know Lillian's my Mom but I don't know who I can trust. In my heart, everything's messed up."_ She thought as she sat at the table. Artie hoped that she would come with him and Lillian back to the castle. He then saw Fiona come over to him. "What do you want to talk to me about?" she asked him. "Your Mom and I want Ariaelle to come back to the castle but I'm worried in case she gets freaked out. You have to talk to her about it seeing as you guys are sisters." he told her quietly. She nodded. "Sure. I'll tell her for you." she replied to him. Shrek saw Ariaelle sitting there very silent. He watched as she got up and went to her room. She was feeling confused. She could tell that Fiona, Lillian and Shrek were family but she wasn't sure about the others. She then snuck out the window and walked away from the swamp. She needed time to think. She then went to the beach. She began to fwwk better as she lay in the sand and the sea breeze whipped through her hair. Her eyes were closed.

Charming smiled as he appeared on the beach. He then grabbed the ogre girl's sleeping form and vanished. Fiona went to to talk to Ariaelle but was worried when she couldn't find her. "What's wrong?" Lillian asked her. "It's Ariaelle. I can't find her anywhere. I'm worried. She must've overheard what Artie and I were talking about." she said sadly. Ariaelle was freaked out to find herself in a cage. Charming laughed as he approached her. "W-Who're you? Will you hurt me? I haven't done anything to you." she said sadly. "Don't worry Ariaelle I won't hurt you until your sister and her family come but let me ask you this. Do they really care about you and love you really? Your parents the late King Hsrold and the former Queen Lillian put you in an orphanage for ten years and then want you back? Face it, they're just playing you." he told her. Tears fell from her eyes as she lay in the darkness of her cage. "Ariaelle don't listen to him. Your sister, mother and I do care for you." Harold told her as he appeared. "Dad is that you? Wow! Mom was right about you really vwubf a frog." she said softly as he hopped onto her green skinned hand.

"I know. I was a frog prince but was alone. One day I was sitting there on a lily pad in the pond when I saw your mother. She was so beauitful that I fell in love with her. But I knew she'd never love me as I truly am so a Fairy Godmother granted my wish and I became a human. After a few days I married your mother and we became King and Queen. A few months passed and you were born but when we realised you were a full blooded ogre, we weren't shocked. We loved you for who you were but that night the Fairy Godmother showed up and told me that I had to send you away. I tried to speak up but she reminded me of what she'd done for me. If I didn't do what she said, she'd turn me back into a frog. I sent you to an orphanage and yold your mother that it was the best thing but it wasn't. U'm so sorry. I thought I'd made enough bad mistakes with your sister." he explained to her. "I forgive you now that I know why you did this to me." Ariaelle replied. She freaked out as he began to fade. "I won't let you go." she yelled. Suddenly her body glowed with blue magoc and a fiery blast of it shot out of her hand and surrounded Harold's body. When it vanished, he felt his heart beating again.

He looked the agw he was when he met Lillian in his frog form. "I'm alive but how?" he said to her. "I used my powers to bring you back to life and made you immortal. I figured it was a good idea." she answered. "Thank you honey. This is the greatest gift anybody could give me." he said softly. Ariaelle then used her Ogreix powers to get them back to the swamp. Fiona watched as Ariaelle appeared. "Dad's alive? But how?" she asked confused. "I was taken by Charming and Dad's ghost appeared but I used my Ogreix powers without thinking." Ariaelle told her. Lillian was shedding tears of joy as Harold jumprf into her arms. "I'm so glad you're back. Noe we can be a family again." she told him.


	33. Thinking It Over

When You're Gone 

Ch 33

Harold watched as Ariaelle was asleep in her room. He couldn't believe he'd be with her and those he loved or be alive again. "I'm never letting you go. We became a family again and I don't want it to stop." He whispered to her.

Lillian then walked in and picked him up gently. "Come on honey. We'll talk to her in the morning. Let's go talk to our son and daughter in law." She told him as they walked out of the room.

"_I know you want to to talk to her now but we'll see her when she wakes up. We need to talk to her about maybe have her come home with us. Besides even if she doesn't come with us, she's still family." _She thought as they went into the living room. Fiona smiled as Lillian and Harold sat down at the table beside Shrek and Fiona. "How did he get back alive? I thought he was dead." Shrek said surprised. "It was Ariaelle. Inside her lies great power and she doesn't lmow how to use them. She used them to help me. I think she felt sorry that we weren't a family just because of me." Harold told him. Fiona then hugged him gently. "I'm so glad you're back with us. I was so sad when you went." she replied. He understood.

"We want to ask Ariaelle to come home to Far, Far Away with us but if she doesn't, then she's still family to us. It was Lillian's idea." Harold told them softly. Puss was worried but he noticed that Shrek was more worried than him about this. He watched as he walked out the door and sat outside. "Hola boss. You seem sad. Is it about Ariaelle?" Puss said to him. He nodded in reply. "Yeah I am. I know Harold and Lillian are her parents and want her with them. I think she'd have trouble adjusting to life at the castle the way she is to the swamp. I wanna protect her and be a good father to her but I'm not sure," he told him. "Why didn't you tell Harold this?" Puss asked him. "I want to but I don't wanna offend him. He is my father in law." Shrek said to him quietly. Puss understood as they walked into the house. Harold then saw sadness in his son's eyes.

"I need to tell you something. I don't think Ariaelle should move with you and Lillian to the castle. She just got used to this place and she needs time to get used to things if you know what I mean." he explained to him. Harold nodded. "I understand but maybe we should let Ariaelle decide about this." Harold replied to him. Artie wondered what the kid would decide. He was amazed by how Ariaelle had brought his uncle back with her powers. He smiled as he watched Ariaelle sleep. Ariaelle woke up as the first rays of dawn shone through the window. She walked into the living room. Fiona and Harold were up while Shrek and Lillian were asleep. "Hey honey. Did you sleep well?" Fiona asked her. "Yes I did." she replied. "We want to ask you something important." Garold told her. "Sure. Go ahead." she said. "Your mother and I were wondering if you wante to come home with us. It's your choice so take your time in thinking, okay?" he replied. She nodded softly in reply.

Artie then followed her. He saw tears in her eyes. "Look Ariaelle I know things seem confusing but if you feel happy here, then stay." he told her. "Yeah I do but would my Mom and Dad be angry if I told them? Would they send me back to the orphanage?" she replied sadly. "No they won't. Uncle Harold told us that even if you stay here, you're still family." he replied gently. She smiled as she walked into the living room. "Dad I've decided that I don't want to go with you and Mom to Far, Far Away. I feel happy here. Is that okay?" she told Harold.

"I understand honey. I'm not mad at you for wanting to stay here. You're still my daughter after all and I... love you." he replied. Ariaelle laughed as he ate a fly. Fiona hoped that she could help Ariaelle. Harold had told Fiona that Ariaelle was to be the next heir to the throne but she was the new princess of her parent's kingdom but she hadn't been told yet because she didn't want to freak her out. A box was hidden in her and Shrek's room with Ariaelle's tiara in it. Shrek saw a worried look on her face. "What's wrong?" he asked her. "Maybe we should tell her she's the new princess of Far, Far Away. She's handled everything else very well so why not?" she told him as she took the box from him...


End file.
